Pain in the neck, or cervicalgia, is a very common phenomenon. The fact is that the neck performs many important functions in the body. The spinal cord is located here, which is surrounded by cervical vertebrae, nerve fibers, arteries and veins, the thyroid gland, lymph nodes, larynx, trachea, esophagus are located in the neck. All this makes the neck a fairly vulnerable area.
Pain in the neck can be caused by various reasons: it can be both a trivial uncomfortable position during sleep, and serious pathologies – rheumatoid arthritis or swelling.
Most often, pain in the neck passes within 1-2 weeks, but sometimes the pain syndrome persists for 2-3 months or more.
The main causes of pain in the neck
Osteochondrosis of cervical spine
According to My Canadian Pharmacy statistics, this is the most common cause of neck pain. In this case, the neck hurts throughout the day and the pain is accompanied by other symptoms:
- Dizziness in the morning;
- Weakness, increased sweating;
- Nausea;
- Crunching in the neck;
- Deterioration of hearing and vision.
Cervical osteochondrosis most often affects people who have to sit for a long time in one position: drivers, office workers, computer workers.
Myoglestic neck
This is the compaction of the neck muscles. In this case, the person is concerned about pain in the neck and occiput, accompanied by dizziness, noise in the ears. Myoglosis can be provoked by subcool, prolonged exposure in an uncomfortable position (for example, during sleep), poor posture, strong physical activity. Often, the disease is provoked by nervous tension.
Cervical spondylosis
This is a dystrophic disease of the spine, characterized by deformation of the vertebrae and growth of bone outgrowths, the so-called osteophytes. They are like thorns or beaks and cause severe pain in the neck, shoulders, eye area. In addition, the patient feels dizzy, has limited mobility of the neck, it crunches; tingling and numbness in the arm.
Intervertebral hernia
A herniated intervertebral disc usually affects the lower cervical spine; as a rule, C5-C6 and C6-C7 disks are damaged. Hernias are characterized by acute pain in the arm and shoulder.
Cervical lumbago
This is a sharp pain in the neck, which occurs suddenly when the head moves unsuccessfully. It increases with the slightest movement, and a person feels a sharp pain in the head or chest. At the same time the muscles of the cervicothoracic part strongly strain, become stone, the head and shoulders occupy a forced position. A person can not turn his head, the movements in the shoulder joint are limited. The cause of such pain is the squeezing of the nerve receptors. This lumbago lasts about 10 days.
Cervical migraine
This is a sharp pain felt in the temples and eyes and arising from the squeezing of the damaged cartilage nerves passing near the arteries. The patient feels dizzy, darkens in the eyes, noises in the ears. The disease can cause hearing impairment and visual impairment. It’s simple to identify migraine: when you press the cervical artery, unpleasant sensations are amplified.
Neuralgia of the occipital nerve
The clogged occipital nerve gives a paroxysmal pain, which is aggravated by turning the head, sneezing, coughing. The attack is accompanied by a violation of movements coordination, the appearance of “flies” before the eyes, unpleasant sensations in the occipital region. The tension of the occipital muscles can be caused by several reasons: displacement of vertebral disks, violation of posture, infection.
Arterial hypertension
Discomfort in the neck, usually early in the morning, may indicate increased pressure.
Consequences of stress
Pain in the neck can be a consequence of nervous tension, stress, during which there is a muscle spasm and the nerve in the neck is pinched. As a result, blood circulation is disturbed and oxygen starvation of the brain occurs. Along with the pain, a person feels numbness, “goose bumps” on the skin.
Stenosis of the spinal canal
Stenosis (constriction) of the canal leads to compression of the spinal cord and causes pain in the neck. Causes of constriction may be a bulging disc, bony outgrowths, thickened spinal ligaments. Damage to the spinal cord is accompanied by weakness, numbness of limbs, disruption of the pelvic organs.
Infection
Discomfort and soreness in the neck can be provoked by angina, cervical lymphadenitis, zagrug abscess.
Injuries
Another cause of neck pain is trauma to vertebrae, intervertebral discs, intervertebral joints, muscles and ligaments of the neck.
Other causes of pain in the neck
These are various diseases – cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive system, tuberculosis, immune disorders, thyroiditis, meningitis, as well as tumors of the cervical spine or metastases from other organs.
As you can see, My Canadian Pharmacy can not give an unambiguous answer to the question “Why does the neck hurt? There are too many reasons for this ailment. And until the real reason is found, getting rid of neck pain is unlikely to succeed. Self-medication (use of various ointments or painkillers) only temporarily removes symptoms, but will not provide complete recovery. Therefore, the best solution is to contact a specialist and, if necessary, undergo a checkup to choose the right treatment.