Every tenth person on the planet complains of neck pain.After lower back problems, this is the second most common reason patients see a chiropractor.Limitation of daily and occupational activities, physical and mental discomfort, decreased quality of life - this is what people with cervical spine diseases have to face.Therefore, you need to pay attention to any signs of pathology, to prevent the disease from progressing, consult a doctor promptly.
Reason
The origins of neck pain are quite diverse.In this area there are bony structures (spine), soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments), nerves and blood vessels.They are subject to mechanical, inflammatory, metabolic and dystrophic changes.In this case, other areas located nearby are often affected: the head, shoulders and chest areas.Neck pain becomes a kind of sign of the following pathology:
- Osteochondritis.
- Intervertebral hernia.
- Inflammation of the spine.
- Inflammation of the spine.
- Myositis.
Most of these conditions develop in conditions where the spine is subjected to constant load.The neck is the most mobile part, exposed to external factors.Uncomfortable posture, sedentary work, constant muscle tension, hypothermia and stress are becoming common factors in modern life that contribute to the development of diseases.
Neck pain is not only local but also referred.They often spread to this area due to shoulder pathology, including:
- Arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Inflammation around the shoulder joint.
- Brachial plexus inflammation.
In addition, any part of the skeleton is injured, which cannot be called a rare case.Given these characteristics, to determine the cause of the pain syndrome, a careful differential diagnosis must be performed.And this is possible only after a medical examination and additional studies.
If you are worried about neck and shoulder pain, you should first consult a specialist.Any treatment follows diagnostic measures.
Symptom
Each disease has its own symptoms.Neck pain is the most prominent sign of spinal disease and is difficult to ignore.In medical terms, such a symptom is called cervical pain.And the pain radiating to the shoulder received a new name - cervicalgia.This happens due to the general distribution and blood supply to these areas.
Characteristics of neck pain depend on the severity and extent of the process as well as the subjective feelings of the patient himself.As a rule, they are as follows:
- Sharp or dull.
- Shoot, stab, hurt, pull.
- Single-sided or double-sided.
- Weak, medium or strong.
- Paroxysmal or continuous attacks.
- Appears when moving the head, arms or when standing still.
Along with neck pain, there are other symptoms that can determine the origin of pathological impulses.This requires them to undergo detailed analysis, which is performed as part of the clinical examination.
Spinal disease
Of all the causes of neck pain, spinal disease is at the top.Many patients suffer from cartilage degeneration and disc herniation;they frequently face immune ankylosing spondylitis;Infectious spondylitis is somewhat less common.Neck pain can develop due to muscle spasm or nerve root compression (radiculopathy).In the latter case, it is accompanied by neurological disorders, manifested by the following symptoms:
- Numbness, crawling, burning, tingling.
- Reduced sensitivity in the neck, shoulders and arms.
- Restore or inhibit tendon reflexes.
- Muscle weakness.
- Pale, “marbled” skin.
The neck muscles reflexively tense and can be felt as dense ridges on the side of the spine.Head movements are severely limited.Often accompanied by pain or headache.If the spinal cord is involved in the pathological process, conduction disorders develop in the form of paralysis of the upper and lower limbs.
In addition to neck pain, spinal pathology can become a source of very serious problems, leading to loss of ability to work.
Myositis
When neck muscles become sore, myositis can develop.It occurs in response to prolonged stress, hypothermia or appears as a result of infection.As a rule, the pain is aching and does not spread to other areas.Range of movement is limited, there are signs of local inflammation: swelling, redness, increased local temperature.The course of myositis is not severe, the disease is rarely accompanied by complications.
Plexit
Pain can occur due to inflammation of the nerve plexuses located in the neck and shoulder area.They are formed by the anterior branches of the spinal roots and are responsible for controlling the distribution of the skin and muscles in the corresponding areas, as well as the diaphragm.Cervical plexitis is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Acute paroxysmal pain in the neck.
- Weakness of paraspinal muscles.
- Hiccup.
- Shortness of breath.
Brachial plexus damage is accompanied by movement, sensory and autonomic disorders of the upper limbs: weakness, reduced superficial and deep sensation, pallor.
Pain in the neck and shoulders can be a sign of plexitis.It needs to be distinguished from other causes of spondylosis.
Arthritis
Shoulder arthritis is also accompanied by pain.Inflammation can be immunological, metabolic or post-traumatic in nature.The following symptoms occur:
- Shoulder swelling.
- Red skin on it.
- Increased local temperature.
- Restrict movement in joints.
Shoulder damage can be isolated or part of the structure of polyarthritis in connective tissue diseases and gout.If not treated promptly, it will create favorable conditions for the development of articular changes in the joints.
Osteoarthritis
Shoulder pain often becomes a symptom of arthritis.This pathology has a degenerative and dystrophic nature, affecting all components of the joint and mainly cartilage tissue.Characterized by slow but steady progression.When osteoarthritis develops, it is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Neck biting, friction, clicking sounds in joints.
- The pain “onset” and “mechanical” (appears at the beginning of loading), then becomes constant.
- Shoulder deformity.
- Limit movement.
The disease brings significant suffering to sufferers, reducing physical activity and preventing them from performing usual activities.
Inflammation around the shoulder joint
This disease develops due to inflammation of the periarticular tissues and synovial membrane of the shoulder.Periarthritis is often the result of injury or overuse.It comes with the following symptoms:
- Sudden shoulder pain, spreading to the neck and arms, worse at night.
- Marked limitation of mobility, especially arm abduction and elevation.
- Forced position of the limb: bend at the elbow and press against the body.
- Swelling along the front of the joint and on the side.
Humeral periarthritis is often confused with arthritis or arthritis, but it differs from these diseases in that there are no pathological changes in the joints.
Diagnose
To determine the cause of neck and shoulder pain, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive medical examination, including additional methods.With the help of laboratory and instrumental studies, it is possible to identify metabolic and structural disorders in the body.Depending on the clinical condition, the following procedures may be required:
- General blood and urine analysis.
- Blood biochemistry (inflammation index, rheumatism test, uric acid, calcium).
- X-ray of the spine and shoulder joints.
- Magnetic resonance tomography (computer).
- Neurology.
- Arthroscopy.
Pain radiating to the left shoulder and arm must be distinguished from cardiovascular disease, so an electrocardiogram needs to be added to the above studies.It is impossible to do without consulting specialized specialists: neurologists, vertebrologists, traumatologists, rheumatologists.
The origin of the pain is determined based on the results of a comprehensive examination.Once the diagnosis has been established, treatment measures can begin.
Treatment
To treat neck pain, you need to know the mechanism of its development and its causes.Once they are clearly identified, a treatment program will be formulated for the patient.Treatment includes multidimensional methods of action on the musculoskeletal system, allowing to eliminate inflammatory changes, stop the dystrophic process, reduce pain and muscle spasms.First, you should minimize the load on your neck and shoulders to relieve the affected areas.A Shantz collar may be required.
Drug treatment
Treatment of neck pain necessarily includes medication correction.Modern medicine has many drugs that help patients with problems with the musculoskeletal system.The most commonly prescribed medications are:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Muscle relaxants.
- Chondroprotectors.
- Vitamin B.
- Blood vessels.
For neck pain that is poorly responsive to such treatment, paravertebral blockade with novocaine or intra-articular injections of hormonal agents are used.After eliminating acute symptoms, you can use topical forms - ointments, gels, patches.
It is almost impossible to effectively treat pathologies of the skeletal system that cause pain in the neck and shoulder joints without medication.
Physical therapy
Comprehensive treatment of pain in the cervical region includes physical methods.With their help, you can eliminate inflammation and improve biochemical processes in tissues.For diseases of the neck and shoulder joints, the following methods can be used:
- Physical therapy.
- Laser treatment.
- Wave therapy.
- Magnetic therapy.
- Paraffin and mud therapy.
- Reflexology.
- Balneotherapy.
The optimal procedure will be prescribed by the physiotherapist, taking into account the characteristics of the disease and the characteristics of the patient's body.
Therapeutic exercises
Physical therapy exercises are great for neck pain.An individual gymnastics complex developed for each patient will help treat pathology: form a strong muscle corset, make ligaments flexible and strong, restore range of motion in the spine and joints.
Post-isometric relaxation exercises, in which static tension is replaced by relaxation, are suitable for the neck.It is necessary to gradually expand the mode of movement, avoid sharp turns, and actively rotate the head.
Regular performance of therapeutic exercises not only restores mobility in the affected parts of the skeleton, but also improves the general condition of the patient.
Massage and manual therapy
Manual stimulation of the musculoskeletal system helps treat neck muscle pain.Massage is not only a useful procedure, but also quite pleasant.At the same time, the blood supply to soft tissues improves, muscles relax, which helps activate recovery processes in tissues.During manual therapy, functional and balance blocks in the cervical area are removed, the spine is stretched, leading to nerve roots being decompressed.
Work
It is necessary to thoroughly treat neck pain when conservative measures are ineffective.Usually, surgery is performed for severe hernias and osteoarthritis.Pathological disc protrusions, bone spurs, and vertebral deviations are removed endoscopically, and signs of instability are also eliminated.Prosthetics can be performed on the shoulder joint due to severe osteoarthritis and contractures can be corrected.After surgery, rehabilitation is required, which depends on the extent of the surgery.
Neck and shoulder pain bothers many patients.To get rid of unpleasant sensations and possible consequences, it is necessary to promptly diagnose and treat bone pathologies.