Constant spasm of the neck muscles: causes, symptoms and treatment

Neck muscle spasm is an unpleasant condition that can cause a host of other symptoms, such as dizziness, decreased mental performance, drowsiness, apathy, increased or decreased blood pressure, etc. It is unlikely that it will be possible to ignore a spasm of the neck muscles for a long time, since the condition really causes severe discomfort.

Most often, spasm of the muscles of the neck and collar area is a secondary condition that occurs against the background of degenerative dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs. There is a gradual destruction of the fibrous ring, a reduction in the volume of the nucleus pulposus. All this entails a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc. This results in compression on the surrounding soft tissue and the radicular nerves arising from the spinal cord.

Constant spasm of the neck muscles against the background of degenerative dystrophic changes in the spine provokes the development of serious concomitant pathologies. Curvature and unevenness of the course of the posterior vertebral arteries often occurs. This entails a disruption of the blood supply to the brain structures. In severe cases, dysfunction of the vestibular apparatus may develop and the person experiences attacks of dizziness and nausea, cannot maintain balance, etc. With posterior vertebral artery syndrome, visual acuity sharply decreases, chronic headaches appear, and periodic panic attacks may develop.

There is only one way to relieve chronic spasm of the neck muscles against the background of osteochondrosis - to cure the intervertebral discs and defeat degenerative dystrophic changes in the fibrous ring and nucleus pulposus. How to do this safely, quickly and effectively is described in the material provided. Here you can also learn about the clinical symptoms and treatment of neck muscle spasms with other pathological changes in tissues.

If you have or periodically experience severe spasms of the muscles of the neck and collar area, then you can contact a free initial consultation with a vertebrologist or neurologist at our manual therapy clinic in Moscow. Experienced doctors conduct consultations here. They conduct a full examination and identify the potential reason why spasm of the muscles of the neck and collar area appears. They then make individual recommendations for additional testing and treatment.

You can make an appointment for a free appointment with a doctor in our clinic using a special form, which you will find at the end of this page. You can also call the administrator and agree on a convenient time for the visit.

Causes of severe neck muscle spasms

Severe spasm of the neck muscles is not an independent disease and it does not appear just like that, from prolonged hard work, for example, or from an uncomfortable posture during a night's rest. If a person does not have any pathological changes in the tissues of the spine, muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc., then he will not experience a strong long-term spasm of the muscles of the neck and collar area under any circumstances. Even if there is periodic tension, it will quickly pass after a short rest.

Let's look at the main causes of neck muscle spasms - diseases and conditions that can cause such discomfort:

degenerative dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs - lead to a decrease in their height, the development of protrusion and hernia, muscle fibers tense compensatoryly in a reflex mode to restore the normal height of the intervertebral spaces and protect the nerve fiber from compression;
vascular pathologies, hemodynamic disturbances in small capillaries - the trophism of muscle tissue is disrupted and, against the background of ischemia, it contracts in order to reduce venous outflow;
deforming spondyloarthrosis – destruction of facet, uncovertebral and facet intervertebral joints;
cicatricial deformation of the ligamentous and tendon apparatus (can develop after suffering a traumatic impact, for example, sprain or rupture);
inflammatory processes in the thickness of the muscle fiber (myositis, including calcifying);
curvature of the spinal column or poor posture;
poor development of the muscles of the neck and collar area due to a sedentary lifestyle and lack of regular physical activity;
disruption of the process of innervation of muscle tissue (myofascial syndrome, trigger points, incomplete passage of the nerve impulse, etc.);
damage to the central nervous system (cerebral ischemia, inflammatory processes);
tumors of the spine and surrounding soft tissues;
tuberculosis and other dangerous infections.

These are just some of the most common causes of neck muscle spasms. Other negative influences include:

maintaining a sedentary lifestyle;
refusal of physical activity in the form of going to the gym or walking in the fresh air;
poor nutrition, in which the diet does not contain enough vitamins and minerals, refined foods and fast carbohydrates are present in large quantities;
violation of ergonomic rules for organizing sleeping and working spaces;
wearing tight and uncomfortable clothes;
long work at the computer;
drinking alcohol and smoking.

During the initial examination, the doctors of our clinic collect an anamnesis, based on the results of which they draw conclusions about the potential causes of the development of the disease, which causes a strong constant spasm of the muscles of the neck and collar area in the patient. If necessary, individual recommendations are given on what risk factors need to be eliminated from your life in order to be able to successfully fight the identified disease.

Survey

Subjective examination is important in assessing the medical history, potential cause and severity of the condition. It is also necessary to assess the patient's outlook and mental well-being, which is a good indicator for predicting the degree of recovery for all types of injuries or illnesses.

Outcome measures can be used in the initial assessment to determine severity and impact on the patient's well-being and quality of life.

Physical examination of the neck and upper extremities may be helpful in diagnosing MTM or excluding other pathologies. It should include:

Assessment of the range of motion of the cervical and shoulder joints (active and passive movements).
Assessment of muscle strength.
Palpation.
Neurological examination.

Patients suffering from MTM may complain of neck pain, headaches, tightness in the trapezius muscle, and trigger points.

Surface electromyography may be performed to assess muscle function. Parameters that can be studied are amplitude, time, conduction velocity, fatigue, and characteristic frequencies/patterns.

Neck muscle spasm due to nerves

Modern people often experience spasms in the deep muscles of the neck due to the negative effects of stress hormones. In moments of strong psycho-emotional stress, cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine are released into the human blood. They specifically act on all tissues:

muscle fibers spasm and overstrain;
the vascular wall contributes to the narrowing of the lumen of capillaries and arterioles, as a result of which the nutrition of myocytes is reduced;
connective tissue begins to retain intercellular fluid, which causes the development of edema syndrome;
ligaments and tendons become tense;
there is a negative effect on the cerebral structures and the central nervous system, as a result of which nerve impulses are produced, instructing the myocytes to tense up.

A spasm of the neck muscles due to nervousness is a very dangerous condition. It is this that can provoke primary degenerative dystrophic changes in cartilaginous tissues, which will subsequently cause the development of osteochondrosis and its long-term consequences, such as protrusion, extrusion and herniation of the intervertebral disc.

Symptoms of neck muscle spasm

Clinical symptoms of neck muscle spasm are pain, a feeling of overexertion and stiffness of movement. Palpation determines the tension of the muscle fiber. Palpation increases pain.

Clinical symptoms of neck muscle spasm may vary depending on what disease caused the condition. For example, a headache with neck muscle spasm may be a signal that posterior vertebral artery syndrome is developing. These are large blood vessels responsible for supplying blood to the posterior parts of the brain. The headache is localized in the occipital region and can spread to the temporal region. If you have a severe throbbing headache, you need to measure your blood pressure.

A spasm of the neck muscles can either increase or decrease pressure. It all depends on how exactly the disease affects the vascular bed. If it is relaxing, your blood pressure level will decrease. If blood vessels spasm excessively, blood pressure rises.

Neck muscle spasms and dizziness are unpleasant symptoms. They may indicate a number of diseases. This may be assimilation of the first cervical vertebra by the occipital bone, as a result of which the course of the posterior vertebral arteries is disrupted and the paired cranial nerves exiting through the foramen ovale in the skull are compressed. Also, a similar condition can develop against the background of vertebrobasilar vascular insufficiency. It is worth paying attention to the time when this symptom appears. If these are the first hours after waking up, then vertebrobasilar vascular insufficiency is most likely present. For a complete differential diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound scan of the vessels of the neck and head. This examination will clarify the localization of the pathological process and assess the condition and patency of all main blood vessels (veins and arteries).

For a more detailed diagnosis, it may be necessary to take an x-ray of the cervical spine. It eliminates the possibility of destruction of the bone tissue of the vertebrae and the deposition of calcium salts in the form of osteophytes on their surface. MRI and CT can exclude osteochondrosis and its complications, spondyloarthrosis deformans, tumor and inflammatory diseases.

Clinically Relevant Anatomy

The trapezius muscle is a large fan-shaped muscle that extends from the cervical region to the thoracic region along the back of the neck and torso and attaches to the collarbone and scapula.

It consists of three parts, which have three different functions:

The upper bundle of the trapezius muscle raises the shoulder girdle.
The middle fascicle moves the scapula posteriorly.
The lower beam lowers the shoulder blade.

Pain with trapezius myalgia is most often associated with damage to the upper bundle of the trapezius muscle.

What to do, how to quickly relieve neck muscle spasms?

The first thing to do if you have a spasm of the neck muscles is to seek medical help from a neurologist or vertebrologist. Self-relief from neck muscle spasms is possible, but only as a temporary measure. If you do not carry out comprehensive treatment of the underlying disease, then this symptom will soon return again.

Before relieving neck muscle spasms at home, it is necessary to eliminate the possibility of neck stiffness. This is a symptom indicating damage to brain structures. You need to sit up straight and try to touch your chin to your chest. If this fails, consult a doctor immediately. You require emergency medical assistance.

Also, before removing neck muscle spasm, it is recommended to measure body temperature. Sometimes tension can be associated with intoxication and inflammation. Therefore, with elevated body temperature, you need to look for the source of discomfort elsewhere. Treatment of the disease will eliminate intoxication and achieve spontaneous relaxation of the muscles of the neck and collar area.

If the pain is associated with prolonged exposure to a static position (for example, when working at a computer), then there are several ways to quickly relieve neck muscle spasms:

relaxing massage - allows you to quickly relieve spastic tension and restore tissue elasticity;
osteopathy – improves microcirculation of blood and lymphatic fluid, eliminates the effect of tissue trophism and ischemia;
traction of the spinal column - intervertebral spaces increase, disc tissue is restored, compensatory muscle fiber tension is eliminated;
resting in a supine position on a hard surface in a well-ventilated area - oxygen saturation of tissues eliminates the effect of spastic tension.

In official medicine, it is recommended to take muscle relaxants, for example Mydocalm tablets. They have the opposite effect. If spasm of the neck muscles is provoked by osteochondrosis, then taking Mydocalm can aggravate the course of this disease. The radicular nerves will be subjected to even greater compression.

BYSTRUMGEL: WHAT DOES IT HELP FOR AND HOW DOES IT OPERATE?

The use of external remedies to treat diseases of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions is a common practice. Such drugs should be used daily, applying them to the damaged area and avoiding contact with the mucous membrane and open wounds. The duration of the course of therapy is determined by a specialist, but is usually 5–14 days.

Bystrumgel is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that also has an analgesic effect. Can be used for acute or chronic inflammation, for muscle pain, for inflammation in soft tissues after injury.11

Features of Bystrumgel:

the analgesic effect occurs 15–30 minutes after application;1
has a complex effect, reducing pain and inflammation, therefore it is used for chronic joint diseases;2
due to its gel form, it has a slight cooling effect;3
has a pleasant aroma due to the fact that it contains lavender oil and orange flowers11.

If your neck is cramped, treatment may include the use of Bystrumgel, which hardly accumulates in the body and can be used from the age of 6.11

Treatment of neck muscle spasms

There is no point in treating neck muscle spasms in isolation. At its core, it is a symptom of the disease. Therefore, before carrying out treatment, you must first conduct a high-quality differential diagnosis. And only after an accurate diagnosis is made, therapy should be carried out.

Most pathologies of the musculoskeletal system and the spinal column, including those, respond well to treatment using manual therapy methods. In our clinic, each patient has the opportunity to attend the first appointment with a vertebrologist completely free of charge.

If you are concerned about a spasm of the neck muscles and you do not know what is causing this condition, fill out the form below to make an appointment with a doctor. The administrator will contact you and agree on a convenient time for a free appointment.