The cause of pain in the neck is most often either a painful spasm or “swelling” of the muscles when holding the head in an uncomfortable position for a long time. As a rule, unpleasant sensations occur while a person is awake, but they can also appear during sleep.
In the latter case, depending on the cause of the symptom, it can be eliminated either by simple measures aimed at improving sleep hygiene, or by special treatment if its occurrence is caused by diseases.
Most often, neck pain is not associated with sleep and is an independent symptom of other pathologies. But even in this case, it can have a certain negative impact on the quality of rest. Thus, in 2013, German cardiologists conducted a study involving more than 1000 patients, according to which, patients with neck and back pain in 42.22% of cases had more or less serious difficulties falling asleep and maintaining sleep, even despite taking analgesics.
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Reason No. 2. Uncomfortable mattress
What do I mean by "inconvenient"? This means it is too hard or too soft. In the first case, such a mattress does not allow the muscles to relax and rest during sleep, so in the morning you may feel a certain “brokenness” in your body.
For people diagnosed with scoliosis, I recommend choosing softer models. There is also a general rule that is important to consider: the older the person, the softer the mattress he usually needs. Another factor to consider is the springs. I do not recommend mattresses with blocks of independent springs. They are easily crushed under heavier parts of the body. It will be difficult to rest on such a model.
It is important to understand that all these recommendations are general in nature, since individual feelings play a primary role. Brand, popularity, cost - all this is also secondary. Test the mattress in the store. The good one is the one you don't notice. You should not feel hard, hot or too soft on it; you should not “sink” into the mattress. Keep these qualities in mind when you test different models.
The neck is the head of everything. How do her injuries affect the condition of her skin and hair? More details
Types and features of fillers for orthopedic pillows
Polyester
Polyester pillows are quite elastic, have a little spring and retain heat well. Soft balls are often added to the filler, moving under the weight of the head, giving the pillow a comfortable shape. Polyester is an absolutely hypoallergenic material.
Latex
Natural latex is made from the foamed sap of the tropical Hyvea tree, otherwise it is also called the rubber tree. They collect the sap by making cuts on the trunk - a small mug is collected drop by drop from each tree within 24 hours. It’s easy to imagine that the process of collecting sap is much slower than industry needs, which is why natural latex pillows are quite rare and expensive. This is one of the best materials for orthopedic pillows. It is elastic, elastic, allows air to pass through well due to its porous structure and absorbs moisture, serving for many years. The bactericidal properties of natural latex are also highly valued. The cost of pillows made from this unique natural filler is quite high compared to analogues.
Artificial latex is also popular in the manufacture of orthopedic pillows. It is inexpensive, unlike its natural counterpart, but not as durable and elastic. An orthopedic pillow made of artificial latex quickly loses its shape and becomes unusable.
Some manufacturers combine natural and artificial latex in one product to achieve an optimal price-quality ratio.
Polyurethane foam
Pillows made from this filler are able to remember and repeat the desired shape when certain components are added to the filler. The desired effect is achieved due to the cellular structure of the foam and the absence of response pressure. Polyurethane foam or otherwise - foam rubber - is less resilient and elastic in comparison with latex, it is easier to get used to such a pillow. One of the varieties of polyurethane foam pillows is the innovative memory foam pillows. They were developed for use in space to reduce the stress on astronauts during takeoff.
Buckwheat husk
A popular and environmentally friendly filler, also capable of taking the desired shape. Absorbs moisture well and allows air to pass through. Buckwheat husk helps improve the condition of hair and scalp through micromassage and relieves headaches. An additional bonus when using a pillow with buckwheat filling is a pleasant, unobtrusive smell that promotes relaxation and sound sleep.
Cooling gel
An innovative filler that remembers its shape, relaxes the neck muscles well and has a pronounced cooling effect. Thanks to the memory effect, the pillow does not put pressure on the neck and head, while being elastic.
In addition to the main filler, manufacturers of orthopedic pillows may include additional components. For example, pads with mint, lavender and rose petals, aloe vera impregnation, biomagnets and magnetic plates, stones with a healing effect and much more.
The material from which the pillow cover is made is also important. It is optimal for the fabric to allow air to pass through and absorb moisture. Often, orthopedic pillows are placed in special mesh covers, which have a slight massage effect and remain cool for a long time.
When choosing an orthopedic pillow, we recommend paying attention to companies that specialize in their production. In this case, you will purchase not just a piece of foam rubber of the correct shape, but a product made in accordance with all the rules using modern technologies.
Reason No. 3. Muscle strain
If a person trained too actively the day before and the body experienced overload, it is quite natural that his back and neck may hurt in the morning. Similar problems appear after a long walk, especially in uncomfortable shoes, after haphazard workouts in the gym with heavy weights, and, of course, they are typical for untrained people who suddenly started playing sports and did not calculate their own strength. By the way, if you are an unprepared tourist who decided to master a difficult hiking or mountain route “at a glance,” be prepared for the fact that the next day your body will definitely not thank you for such a forced march.
Professional medical care
Our clinic understands that each patient is individual and prescribes therapy only if the entire clinical picture of his condition is available. After consultation, examination, collection of information about a person’s lifestyle, previous diseases and hereditary predisposition, diagnostic studies, the patient is selected a course of treatment aimed at quickly relieving pain, reducing the manifestation of symptoms of pathology and restoring the functionality of systems.
Our clinic has a convenient appointment schedule for specialists and a diagnostic center, a pleasant atmosphere and responsive staff. All doctors have extensive practical experience and prescribe the optimally effective course of therapy, individual for each specific case. All patients are closely monitored by the best neurologists, physiotherapists, and vertebrologists, who monitor the treatment process and adjust it if necessary. They don’t waste money on useless ointments, patches, and don’t take unnecessary painkillers. The advanced treatment methods we use help alleviate the condition already at the first visit, and then cope with the problem in just a couple of appointments. With us you will again feel lightness and freedom of movement.
Published medical histories are not the basis for making a diagnosis and prescribing therapy on your own. Self-medication can lead to disability. The presence of one or more of the above symptoms is a reason to seek help from a doctor.
Reason No. 4. Uncomfortable shoes
I never tire of reminding readers and patients that the body is a single system, all parts of which are interconnected. This is important to know and remember in order to correctly determine the causes of pain and other symptoms.
If you've been walking around all day in uncomfortable shoes, it's not just your feet that will hurt. The tension will spread to other parts of the body, up to the lumbar and cervical regions.
The same thing happens when a person with flat feet puts on orthopedic shoes. It unloads the feet, they stop hurting, but the tension goes away. In this regard, I strongly do not recommend wearing orthopedic insoles (shoes) for hallux valgus, flat feet and other similar disorders, since this does not solve the problem itself, but only temporarily eliminates the symptom.
Shoes with flat soles and high heels should be banned once and for all. Yes, in some situations you can afford such models, but constantly walking in flip-flops, UGG boots and stiletto heels is harmful and dangerous!
Therapeutic exercises for the neck. Set of exercises Read more
How much does a good orthopedic pillow cost?
The cost of an orthopedic pillow depends on several factors:
- Material;
- Manufacturer;
- Medicinal properties
You can choose a polyester pillow for 600 rubles due to the low cost of the material.
At the same time, you need to understand that you should not expect a therapeutic effect or a pronounced orthopedic effect from such a pillow. The average cost of a high-quality orthopedic pillow is from 2,000 to 5,000 rubles, depending on the material and additional components. New items such as pillows with cooling gel cost even more – from 7,000 rubles. A high-quality orthopedic pillow always costs more than a regular one. After all, this is not just a case stuffed with wool, feathers or other filler, but a product that has passed tests and mandatory certification, manufactured using special technology and often using special equipment.
Reason No. 7. Alcohol
When alcohol is broken down, toxins are formed that affect muscles, primarily those that are overstressed, that is, they have an excess of metabolic products. It's not surprising that alcohol can be the real last straw for already overstrained muscles.
I note that there are many more causes of neck and back pain; I have listed the most basic ones. Similar problems can also arise due to fatigue and stress. However, only a specialist can determine the exact cause in each specific case. Therefore, if you lead a healthy lifestyle, exercise moderately, wear comfortable shoes, sleep on the right mattress and do not have any diseases, but neck discomfort and back pain bother you in the morning, you need to consult a doctor.
Ways to treat neck pain
In order to prescribe effective treatment, the doctor first prescribes diagnostic measures: a blood test, X-ray findings, CT or MRI readings as necessary. The main methods of combating diseases are the use of various painkillers, anti-inflammatory tablets and syrups, warming or cooling ointments, etc.
It is also necessary to undergo physiotherapeutic procedures (electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, classical and vibration massage of the neck and collar area; physical therapy and balneotherapy). The use of traditional medicine is allowed. Among all folk remedies, these folk recipes are considered the most effective.
| Ingredients | Recipe |
| Mustard seeds, aloe juice, vodka | Mix aloe juice and vodka in different proportions, adding a teaspoon of seeds. Make a compress and leave it overnight |
| Rye flour | Mix flour with water, adding a little sea salt. Make cakes and apply to the sore spot for several hours |
| Fresh leaves of coltsfoot, alder and burdock | Plants are finely chopped or ground in one container. Before going to bed, the paste is applied to the neck and wrapped in a scarf. It is recommended to carry out the procedure daily for 5-7 days |
| Grated potatoes and honey | 2 medium potatoes are grated on a fine grater and squeezed. Then add 1 tablespoon of liquid honey and mix. The resulting mass should be applied to a clean rag and applied to the outside of the neck for 2-3 hours. |
| Hop cones, pork fat (lard) | The hop cones are crushed and pushed around. Add pork fat to them in a 1:1 ratio and mix well. The resulting mixture is applied to the sore neck and left for 1.5 -2 hours. |
| Burdock root | Freshly dug burdock root is finely chopped and the resulting mass is poured with boiling water at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 glass of water. The solution should stand for at least 3-4 hours in a cool, dark place. The resulting infusion is taken orally in 100 g doses. after every meal |
| Laurel leaf oil | A few drops of bay oil are added to a liter of boiled warm water. Gauze is soaked in the solution and applied to the neck for 45-60 minutes. |
After a person wakes up and feels pain in the neck, there is no need to make any sudden movements in an attempt to alleviate his condition. Before using all the above recipes, you must first consult with a specialist. There are contraindications in the form of individual intolerance to the components, skin lesions in the required area, elevated body temperature, hypertension, neoplasms in the neck area.
If you have cervical osteochondrosis
Pathology has various stages, types, forms and manifestations.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
All of them are treatable, but it will be more effective if auxiliary processes are carried out in parallel. For example, follow the rules of sleep, which have a number of features in case of cervical osteochondrosis.
If this serious disease of the spine in the neck area is diagnosed, the patient needs to learn a lot of new information, including the rules of sleep for cervical osteochondrosis.
Complications of cervical osteochondrosis
By the way. It is quite possible to protect yourself from osteochondrosis and prevent the disease with the help of preventive measures. One of the preventive measures is choosing the right bed and maintaining postures during sleep that will prevent pathology from developing.
The disease is so serious that without treatment it can lead to disability in just a few years. At the same time, in just a year or less, subject to certain conditions, which include proper sleep, you can completely get rid of osteochondrosis and restore health.
The correct position while sleeping will help defeat cervical osteochondrosis
Important! By reducing the load on the neck area during the time allotted for sleep, the patient gets rid of pain and fixes the vertebrae in a healthy position. This is the key to effective treatment.
Diagnostics
When diagnosing patients with cervicalgia, a detailed collection of complaints and medical history is important to exclude serious pathology. It is mandatory to conduct an examination to identify changes in the configuration of the spine, impaired mobility in the cervical region and changes in the condition of ligaments and muscles2.
Additional diagnostic methods are used if a serious illness is suspected and if there is a history of trauma2:
- X-ray of the cervical spine is performed in almost all patients, but is not a sufficiently informative method. Allows you to exclude pathologies such as tumors, osteoporosis, trauma, spondylitis (chronic inflammation of the spine) and vertebral displacement.
- functional radiography - used to determine spinal instability and hidden vertebral displacements. The procedure is performed in positions of maximum flexion and extension of the neck.
- Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are modern methods that allow us to assess the condition of not only bone elements, but also the surrounding tissues, ligaments and even the spinal cord2.
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