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:

1. 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.
2. Cervical osteochondrosis. Accompanied by headache, tinnitus, decreased visual acuity, flashing “spots” before the eyes, pain radiating to the arms and shoulders.
3. Cervical arthrosis. Pain occurs not only in the neck, but also in the shoulder area. It bothers me most in the mornings and evenings.
4. Spondylosis. Accompanied by occipital pain, numbness and tingling of the neck, problems with hearing and vision, and dizziness may occur.
5. Asymmetry of the cervical artery. It is characterized by tinnitus, pain in the head, darkening of the eyes, and increased blood pressure.

Prevention

To prevent the formation of a cervical hernia in patients at risk, you should adhere to these simple rules:

• Avoid forced, uncomfortable head positions.
• If possible, do neck exercises frequently, especially if your job involves spending a lot of time at the computer.
• Walk and sit straight, do not slouch.
• For rest, use a hard mattress and a small, medium-firm pillow.
• Do not overload the spinal region, regardless of which area the load falls on.

A cervical hernia is a rather dangerous disease; it is difficult to treat. You can count on a positive result using only conservative treatment methods only if the patient promptly seeks help from a specialist. In addition, it should be taken into account that for a cervical hernia larger than 6 mm, surgical intervention is required.

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.

Retropharyngeal abscess

The patient develops acute pain in the neck on the right side, nasal breathing is disrupted, nasal sounds appear, and body temperature rises to 39-40 degrees. Pain in the neck on the right increases when swallowing, causing choking. For this reason, patients with a retropharyngeal abscess refuse to eat food.

To confirm the diagnosis, the patient undergoes pharyngoscopy. During the examination, doctors identify a spherical protrusion in the back wall of the pharynx. In the first days it is localized on the right side, later it shifts to the middle.

The head in patients with a retropharyngeal abscess usually takes a forced position. They tilt it back and tilt it to the side. Patients do this because they have a sore throat and neck on the right side.

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.

Therapy

Any treatment for neck pain should begin with pain relief. It is recommended to use painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Self-medication in this case will not give positive results. To accurately establish a diagnosis, you need to visit a specialist. The doctor will conduct a professional diagnosis and prescribe the necessary therapy. Without visiting a specialist, it is quite difficult to get rid of pain. In addition, it is impossible to recover if you have not identified the source of the pain syndrome.

Exercise therapy and massage

Experts refer some patients for massage. The doctor issues a referral only after a complete diagnosis, made after a thorough examination. The specialist may recommend massage of the collar area to the patient. If it is carried out according to all the rules, it helps to completely get rid of muscle tension. As a result, blood circulation improves and pain disappears completely.

When visiting a massage therapist, it is also recommended to engage in physical therapy, which helps strengthen the muscles of the neck and back. If you do the exercises every day, you can forget about pain.

Physiotherapeutic treatment

Today, many different modern techniques are actively used, including procedures that use current, magnetic fields, vibrations, lasers, etc. These are methods that are used in combination with medications and other procedures prescribed by a doctor. If all the rules of the procedure are followed, a positive effect is observed, which is caused by a strong local effect. In the first stages of osteochondrosis, the disease can be cured after several therapy sessions. In this case, the patient is not even prescribed medications. In some cases, physical therapy acts as a preventive measure.

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.

First aid

It is impossible to undergo complex treatment at home. However, there are several ways to reduce pain before consulting a doctor:

• over-the-counter painkillers - Analgin is available in any pharmacy and in your home medicine cabinet;
• massage of the neck and head area - effective for muscle spasms, it can be performed independently;
• warm bath – relaxes muscles, improves blood circulation and relieves spasms.

If the tissues around the painful area are swollen, redness of the skin and an increase in its local temperature are observed - massage and thermal procedures are contraindicated. In this case, it is enough to take a painkiller and make an appointment with a doctor.

Lymphadenitis

Lymphadenitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the lymph nodes . If you have redness, swelling and pain on the left side of your neck, you should suspect this particular disease. Only a doctor can confirm or refute the diagnosis after a thorough examination.

1. With cervical lymphadenitis, enlarged and painful lymph nodes behind the sternocleidomastoid muscle can be felt under the skin. Pathology occurs after hypothermia or against the background of colds. Chronic inflammation of the cervical lymph nodes may indicate pulmonary tuberculosis or malignant neoplasms.
2. Parotid lymphadenitis is characterized by pain in the neck on the left behind the ear. When fingering, lymph nodes are found in this area, the diameter of which reaches 1-2 centimeters. The disease develops with respiratory viral infections, ENT pathology, and inflammation of the parotid salivary gland.
3. Submandibular lymphadenitis can occur with caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, tonsillitis or sinusitis. A person has pain in the neck on the left side under the jaw, swelling and redness of the skin in this area appears.

Lymphadenitis is rarely an independent disease. It develops against the background of other pathologies. Damage to the lymph nodes can be caused by infections, intoxications, tumor metastases, inflammatory diseases of the skin or cervical organs. Therefore, if you have pain on the left side of your neck or enlarged lymph nodes, you need to go to the doctor.

Medicines

Home methods of recovery for inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the spine consist of the following steps:

1. Inflammation suppression
   . To reduce inflammation and swelling, non-steroidal drugs for external use are used: Diclofenac, Voltaren, and indometacium ointment.

2. Restoring muscle tone
   . To relax spasmed muscles, use ointments Vipratox, Viprosal B, Apizartron and other soft agents that are suitable for physiological pinching.

An additional therapeutic effect is provided by compresses with Menovazin and alcohol compresses based on warming herbs.

Medicines for lumbago

If the pain spreads to the tissues adjacent to the cervical region, take oral or intramuscular antispasmodics, painkillers and NSAIDs. The table shows some drugs that can alleviate acute cervicalgia.

Muscle relaxants are taken only if other means are ineffective. Restrictions on the use of these drugs are due to their effect - the medicine can lead to loss of mobility and difficulty breathing.

Physical therapy exercises

Relaxing tight muscles is a key element of home recovery efforts. Relaxation occurs both with a massage, which you can do yourself, and with a series of physical exercises. There are several main types of training:

• turns the head (chin parallel to the shoulder and horizontal to the floor) alternately in both directions;
• tilting the head to the shoulders;
• circular rotations with outstretched arms.

A complex of therapeutic and preventive exercises (PT) increases the elasticity of muscle fibers and promotes decompression of pinched nerve endings.

It is necessary to do physical therapy exercises at a slow pace so as not to increase the pinching.

A set of dynamic and static exercises normalizes increased muscle and vascular tone. Relaxing-mobilizing loads evenly involve all muscle groups of the cervical-shoulder girdle, restoring neural conductivity. Recommended training plan if a nerve is pinched:

• in the stage of intense cervicalgia for 10-15 minutes up to 5 times a day;
• increasing and decreasing load during each exercise (peak intensity in the middle of the procedure);
• repeat the exercise 4-6 times.

After the symptoms have eased, the duration of the warm-up is increased to 40 minutes. Exercise therapy is also performed after improvement, in order to maintain normal tone and mobility of the neck.