Pain and limitation of movement in the cervical spine

Pain and stiffness in the neck occur with improper load, as well as with certain pathological conditions of the cervical spine. Painful sensations in the neck are almost always accompanied by limited mobility - when trying to turn or tilt the head, a feeling of sharp or increasing pain occurs. Sometimes it is so strong that a person is forced to move the entire body instead of moving the neck. In this case, the pain can concern not only the neck, but also radiate to nearby areas - chest, arms, head, shoulders; accompanied by tinnitus, numbness of hands and fingers, dizziness.

In order to prescribe competent treatment, you need to determine the causes of neck pain - this will be the task of the specialist you contact. Let's figure out what can cause pain in the cervical spine.

Causes of neck pain

There are 2 main causes of pain and limitation of neck movements: muscle stiffness and diseases of the cervical spine.

Neck muscle stiffness

Rigidity is a condition where muscles become hypertonic (unable to relax) and resist any attempts to move. Stiffness of the neck muscles is not an independent disease - it occurs either due to lack of physical activity, or accompanies certain diseases.

Due to a sedentary lifestyle - working at a computer, driving, lack of sports activity - the cervical vertebrae can become displaced, causing aching pain and spasms caused by improper blood circulation in the cervical area.

Stiff neck muscles can also be a symptom of:

encephalitis, meningitis, cerebral hemorrhages. Other symptoms of these diseases: headache, weakness, nausea, fever, dizziness, rash.
parkinsonism. It is accompanied by tremors throughout the body, impaired balance and automaticity of movements, and problems with speech.
neck injuries. In such cases, pain always precedes some serious mechanical impact on the neck (fall, blow).

Diseases of the cervical spine

Pain and restrictions of movement in the cervical spine can occur due to pathologies of the spinal column:

Hernia. Severe pain radiates to the shoulders and arms, the palms may tingle and go numb, and a “lumbago in the neck” occurs - a sharp pain that makes it difficult to move the entire upper body.
Cervical osteochondrosis. Accompanied by headache, tinnitus, decreased visual acuity, flashing “spots” before the eyes, pain radiating to the arms and shoulders.
Cervical arthrosis. Pain occurs not only in the neck, but also in the shoulder area. It bothers me most in the mornings and evenings.
Spondylosis. Accompanied by occipital pain, numbness and tingling of the neck, problems with hearing and vision, and dizziness may occur.
Asymmetry of the cervical artery. It is characterized by tinnitus, pain in the head, darkening of the eyes, and increased blood pressure.

What do parents need to know about meningitis?

28.06.2018 Meningitis-

This is an inflammation of the soft membranes of the brain and spinal cord caused by various pathogens.

Causes of meningitis:

· Viruses (eg, measles, chickenpox, mumps). · Bacteria (for example, meningococcus, pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae and others). · Fungi.

All types of meningitis have symptoms that are common to common infections. It is almost impossible to identify the cause of the disease without laboratory diagnostics.

Meningococcal infection

is one of the most pressing problems, with approximately half a million cases reported annually worldwide, one in ten of which are fatal. Death in 63% of cases occurred on the first day from the onset of the disease, even with timely seeking medical help, most of them were children under 2 years of age. In 20% of cases after meningococcal infection, the outcome was disability (loss of hearing, vision, mental retardation, amputation of limbs).

Meningococcal infection

is an acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium meningococcus.

The disease can manifest itself in different ways:

Asymptomatic carriage (meningococci can inhabit the human nasopharynx and any of us can be a potential carrier; carriage is more common in adults and adolescents, who are the source of infection for children),
Mild respiratory infection (nasopharyngitis),
Severe forms of infection (meningitis, sepsis).

Who can get sick?

Meningococcal meningitis can occur in any person - a child of the first year of life, a teenager and an adult. Meningococcal infection is especially dangerous for children. In more than 90% of cases, healthy children without additional risk factors get sick; the incidence of children under 4 years of age is 22 times higher than in adults!

Sources of infection.

The disease spreads from person to person through coughing, sneezing, kissing, and even talking or sharing cutlery. Since infection occurs through close contact, the main source of infection for young children is their parents, brothers and sisters, relatives, as well as other children in nurseries and kindergartens.

Risk factors for meningococcal infection:

child's age up to 4 years;
visiting a kindergarten or school;
cramped living conditions: in a family, in dormitories, barracks, boarding schools, orphanages, sanatoriums, pioneer camps, etc.;
external factors leading to a weakening of the immune system (including stress, hypothermia, overwork);
congenital and acquired disorders of the immune system, damage or absence of the spleen;
traveling to places where meningococcal infection is widespread (some African countries, Saudi Arabia).

1. Fever.

One sign of meningitis is a fever that starts suddenly. The child begins to tremble and complains that he is cold all the time.

The patient's temperature quickly rises, which can be difficult to bring down. But since this symptom is a sign of many diseases, you should also pay attention to other features in the change in the child’s condition.

2. Headache.

Headache with meningitis is often not just severe, but almost unbearable. In this case, the pain often also constrains the patient’s neck, but due to the fact that the patient’s head literally “splits,” he may not pay attention to it.

In newborns, a characteristic sign is also a bulge in the area of the large fontanelle and a high-pitched cry.

3. Double vision.

A patient with meningitis cannot focus his vision, which is why the image in his eyes constantly doubles.

4. Abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, sudden loss of appetite.

5. Photosensitivity.

Another sign of meningitis is a fear of bright light, which can cause the child's eyes to water, as well as worsening nausea and headaches.

6. Stiff neck.

A child with meningitis is in a special recognizable position: lying on his side with his head thrown back and legs bent. When he tries to straighten his neck, he often fails.

Diagnosis of the cause of neck pain

After an oral interview, the doctor examines the patient: palpates the surface of the neck, checks the sensitivity of the arms and legs, the state of reflexes, and determines the presence of muscle spasms and hypertonicity.

The following hardware techniques are used:

radiography;
MRI;
CT scan;
electromyography (EMG);
Doppler ultrasound (USDG) of neck vessels.

Blood and urine tests can be taken to identify inflammatory processes in the body.

Infantile muscle rigidity or stiffness

When some people talk about babies, they call them bundles of joy made of flesh. Although this is not a very attractive description of a child, newborns are not associated with extremely active creatures, since they have not fully begun to engage in vigorous activity. However, complete lethargy or stiffness may indicate underlying health problems.

Cerebral palsy in infants

Cerebral palsy is known as a neurological disorder masquerading as a muscle disorder. Cerebral palsy affects the way babies interact with their muscle groups. Some children with mild symptoms may have muscles that range from normal to stiffer, while other children may have extremely stiff muscles that prevent the child from walking. In fact, muscle stiffness is so common in children with cerebral palsy that doctors sometimes use Botox as a treatment option.

In addition to muscle stiffness and stiffness, infants with cerebral palsy often suffer from muscle spasms, especially involuntary muscle spasms in the arms, legs, and neck.

Klumpke's palsy in infants

A severe form of cerebral palsy, Erb Klumpke's palsy is an injury to the brachial plexus, the network of nerves between the shoulder, neck and collarbone. These nerves can be pulled, broken, disrupted, displaced, or disabled due to heavy stress, leaving a group of muscles immobilized. Many children with Klumpke's palsy cannot move their arms or bend their wrist, and the arm may be irregularly shaped.

Muscle hypertonicity in infants

Muscle hypertonicity is a condition characterized by excessive muscle tone in the arms and legs as a result of stiffness and stiffness. Hypertonicity is the result of damage to the nervous system in the spinal cord and brain, which can occur as a result of birth trauma, childhood stroke, or as a result of damage to the basal ganglia, such as Parkinson's disease.

Kernicterus in infants

Kernicterus, a rare form of brain damage, occurs when bilirubin levels rise to unhealthy levels. Jaundice is common in babies because the mother's body fails to control the baby's bilirubin levels. However, if the bilirubin level is too high, jaundice becomes excessive, resulting in yellow pigment on the skin and, in many cases, muscle stiffness.

What parents need to remember

Keep in mind that the above-mentioned diseases can only be diagnosed by a doctor. If your child experiences muscle stiffness or stiffness, it is important to tell your pediatrician so they can get the correct diagnosis and treatment. In some cases, it may be something minor that will eventually go away.

Methods for treating pain and stiffness in the cervical spine

Treatment for neck soreness may include:

Physiotherapy sessions (magnetic therapy, electrophoresis, ultrasound therapy, shockwave therapy).
Prescription of painkillers, sedatives, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants.
Methods of holistic medicine (acupuncture, massage, moxotherapy, hirudotherapy, stone therapy, vacuum therapy).
Physical therapy, proper organization of the workplace, control of posture.
Surgical intervention. Radical methods of surgical treatment are prescribed only if conservative methods are ineffective or for a more serious diagnosis that initially requires surgical intervention.

Treatment of neck pain in medical

The high professionalism and impressive work experience of our doctors allows us to select a suitable treatment program for neck diseases for each patient. Our medical center is equipped with modern high-tech and reliable devices for laboratory and instrumental diagnostics, physiotherapy and treatment. And experienced massage therapists and chiropractors will help not only relieve neck pain, but also improve the overall health of the body.

If you are concerned about neck pain and limited mobility, make an appointment with us without expecting the condition to worsen.

Causes

Doctors at the Yusupov Hospital identify the cause of muscle rigidity and use innovative methods for treating diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, extrapyramidal disorders, the manifestation of which is muscle rigidity. Muscle stiffness, or muscle tension, in particular is a symptom of Parkinson's disease.