A patient complaining that his neck hurts in front under the chin is not such a rare case in the practice of modern doctors. Patients themselves, faced with unpleasant or painful sensations in the throat area, often begin to panic and draw terrible pictures of possible ailments. The difficulty is that not every person is familiar with the structure of the neck in detail and has no idea what systems located inside this part of the body can fail and lead to pain.
Causes of pain in the neck muscles
There are several types of pathological conditions that, among other unpleasant symptoms, can lead to pain in the front of the neck under the chin.
Spinal diseases
This includes, first of all, osteochondrosis - one of the most common painful conditions affecting a huge number of the population. At risk are office workers, older people, women during and after menopause. Other common pathologies are spinal disc herniation or protrusion. They are a consequence of rupture of the fibrous ring surrounding each individual vertebra. These diseases cause a person severe constant pain (sometimes not even relieved by anti-inflammatory drugs), and if left untreated, they quickly progress and lead to disability.
Inflammatory diseases of the neck
Inflammation that occurs in the organs located under the muscular frame of the neck is one of the most common reasons why a person has pain in the neck in front under the chin. Usually, malaise is a consequence of viral diseases that affect the trachea and other organs of the upper respiratory tract, but sometimes the disease develops as a result of the pathogenic activity of infectious microorganisms.
Poor blood supply to the neck muscles
The reasons for this condition can be very diverse: sometimes it is only a temporary disorder (as people say, “the neck gets stiff” when being in the same position). In other situations, normal blood circulation becomes impossible due to the appearance of plaques on the inner surface of the vessels (atherosclerosis), and in some cases, pain in the neck under the chin is a consequence of pinched nerve endings.
Hereditary diseases of the muscular system
Diseases transmitted by inheritance often manifest themselves in early childhood and, in the absence of therapy, can “grow” with new symptoms. For example, muscular torticollis, a congenital disease, is diagnosed in infants already at the age of several weeks and is characterized by asymmetry of the face and head, and skeletal deformation. Often, as a result of torticollis, the neck hurts under the chin.
Why is pharyngitis dangerous?
Untimely treatment of pharyngitis is dangerous because the disease becomes chronic and has serious complications, including sinusitis, sinusitis, otitis media, kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis), etc. But the most dangerous possible consequences are rheumatic lesions of the heart and joints.
1 Diagnosis of pharyngitis in MedicCity
2 Diagnosis of pharyngitis in MedicCity
3 Diagnosis of pharyngitis in MedicCity
Treatment of pharyngitis should be carried out only under the supervision of an ENT doctor! Acute pharyngitis may be the first manifestation of infectious diseases (measles, rubella, scarlet fever), requiring a different treatment regimen than for pharyngitis.
Chronic pharyngitis may not be an independent disease, but a manifestation of chronic gastritis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis and other gastrointestinal pathologies. With gastroesophageal reflux disease, for example, acidic gastric contents often enter the throat during sleep, which causes the development of chronic catarrhal pharyngitis . Until the underlying cause of the disease is eliminated, local treatment in this case will not produce results.
Elimination of pain in the muscles of the neck in front
Since this condition is classified as pathological, it requires the most prompt treatment possible. The best option is to consult a doctor, since this specialist has all the necessary knowledge regarding the fight against inflammatory and other diseases that occur in the cervical region. If you have neck pain in the front under your chin, call and make an appointment with the highly qualified, experienced doctors at the Energo Clinic. The telephone number for contact is indicated on the website in the “Contacts” section; registration is carried out on any day and time of day convenient for you.
Drug treatment
After collecting anamnesis, conducting an examination and finding out why your neck hurts in front under the chin, our neurologist
will write out the most detailed treatment plan for the disease and instruct what needs to be done to prevent the disease from worsening again. The most important point will be taking medications - painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs whose action is aimed at maintaining the optimal condition of the muscular frame and skeletal system.
Massage and physical therapy
Conducted strictly in the presence of a chiropractor
,
massage therapist
or doctor at a physical therapy room. The neck is a rather delicate organ; it should not be pressed, and often not heated intensely, as this can cause a deterioration in the condition. At the same time, a soft, relaxing massage will help relieve muscle tension and normalize blood flow.
Surgery
It is necessary in situations where the condition threatens the normal course of a person’s life. For example, if the thyroid gland is enlarged and there is no effect from medications, the affected organ is removed in a surgical hospital. After the operation, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of the attending physician, undergo regular examinations by an endocrinologist, and take hormones.
ethnoscience
Effective for inflammatory diseases, but should only be used as an additional treatment measure. A proven folk remedy is a decoction of chamomile or calendula - it is used for colds and to relieve throat spasms. In situations where a person has pain in the neck under the chin as a result of thyroid pathologies, herbal medicine brings good results: certain medicinal plants contain components that have a positive effect on the state of the hormonal system.
Neck pain: what to do and where to go
Almost every adult and even some children are well aware of the feeling of discomfort in the neck after prolonged work with their head down or, on the contrary, thrown back up, or at night resting in an uncomfortable position or on the wrong pillow. In most cases, warming ointments and massage help alleviate this condition. However, often pain in the neck, radiating to the shoulder girdle, head or chest, can be a symptom of a more serious disease that requires complex treatment. Therefore, the specialists of the Movement clinic strongly recommend not to postpone a visit to the doctor in order to understand the causes of pain in this area and, if necessary, undergo an examination.
Prevention
A variety of preventive measures will help prevent the disease from exacerbating and returning. First of all, it is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Engage in moderate physical activity and avoid eating unhealthy foods in excess. If you periodically have pain in your neck under your chin, then do not forget to visit a doctor and consult with him before you feel another pain syndrome. Stop smoking or reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke per day. Try not to abuse alcohol or take medications not directly prescribed by your doctor.
Reasons for the development of the disease
Common causes of pharyngitis are inhalation of cold or polluted air, exposure to chemical irritants (alcohol, tobacco).
Infectious pharyngitis can be caused by various microbes (strepto-, staphylo-, pneumococci), viruses (influenza, adenovirus) and fungi (candida). The disease can also develop as a result of the spread of infection from a nearby source of inflammation (for example, sinusitis, rhinitis, dental caries).
Difficulty in nasal breathing and overuse of vasoconstrictor drops can also cause pharyngitis.
Symptoms of pharyngitis may be present with the so-called postnasal syndrome (the English term is “postnasal drip”), when the constant flow of pathological secretion from the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses along the back wall of the pharynx causes discomfort and a sore throat. This condition may be accompanied by wheezing, so it is necessary to carry out a differential diagnosis with bronchial asthma.
Symptoms of pharyngitis
The symptoms of pharyngitis (acute and chronic) are similar to each other, but there are still slight differences:
Acute pharyngitis
- dryness and sore throat;
- pain when swallowing;
- less often – general malaise, increased body temperature;
- possible irradiation of pain to the ears.
Chronic pharyngitis
- dryness, sore throat;
- sensation of a lump in the throat, which makes you want to cough;
- dry cough.
Classification of pharyngitis
The disease can occur in acute and chronic form.
Acute pharyngitis develops as a result of exposure to the mucous membrane of the pharynx by an aggressive factor (infection, chemicals, etc.). The course of the disease is favorable.
Chronic pharyngitis can develop as a consequence of untreated acute pharyngitis or be an independent disease resulting from prolonged irritation of the pharyngeal mucosa. The course of chronic pharyngitis is characterized by phases of exacerbation and remission.
1 Throat examination
2 Throat sanitation
3 Diagnosis of pharyngitis in MedicCity
Pharyngitis in adults
Unlike children, chronic pharyngitis is most common in adults.
Patients are bothered by pain, dryness and soreness in the throat, they find it difficult to swallow, they often want to cough, but the contents are difficult to cough up. With chronic pharyngitis, headaches occur, sleep deteriorates, and general weakness is noted.
The main causes of pharyngitis include:
- untreated colds;
- remaining caries in the mouth;
- smoking;
- frequent stress;
- weakened immune system;
- drinking cold (straight from the refrigerator) and too hot drinks;
- uncontrolled use of medications;
- allergy;
- poor environment and work in hazardous production.
Pharyngitis in children
Pharyngitis in children is easy to recognize. Symptoms of pharyngitis in children may be as follows. The child complains of scratching and sore throat, it is difficult for him to swallow, and he coughs. The back wall of the throat is red, covered in small tubercles, but the tonsils on both sides of the tongue are in normal condition, pink and clean. With pharyngitis, the child experiences weakness, headache and sore throat, lack of appetite, and difficulty swallowing.
Acute pharyngitis is more common in children and adolescents. Typically, acute pharyngitis occurs against the background of colds.
Treatment of pharyngitis in children
How to treat pharyngitis in children? Before starting treatment, you need to establish the cause of the disease. Then remove too hot and cold foods, cold drinks (especially soda) from the child’s diet, and refrain from spicy, salty and solid foods.
You can apply warm compresses to the neck, warm the child’s feet, drink warm milk with honey and butter. Gargle with a decoction of chamomile, oak bark and other anti-inflammatory herbs.