Pain in the back and neck occurs periodically in everyone. This may be due to recent physical activity, a sedentary lifestyle, or the presence of serious spinal pathology.
To find out the cause of the pain and the possible complications of the disease, you should undergo a medical examination in time. Often the cause of severe back pain can be a herniated disc or severe damage to the spine due to injury.
In elderly patients, pain in the lumbar region is associated with degenerative diseases of bone tissue. In the future, the development of the disease will lead to the need for surgical intervention, when drug treatment will not bring the expected effect. Therefore, you should not delay going to the doctor or independently determine the pathology.
symptoms
Painful sensations begin to appear in the cervical region, after which they pass to the shoulders and the area between the shoulder blades. In this case, the patient experiences pain when moving the head or shoulder joint. In the future, such manifestations become stronger, and the person feels stiffness when turning his head.
The main symptoms that a person has a serious pathology on the spine are:
- numbness in shoulder joints and neck muscles;
- periodic pain sensation in the upper back;
- muscle tension;
- clicks and joint characteristics;
- restriction in the free movement of the shoulder that occurs after sleep;
- tingling sensation in soft tissues;
- sharp shooting from different back sides;
- discomfort around the ligaments and neck.
When these symptoms occur, a person begins to think why the back and neck can hurt and what to do to get rid of the discomfort. In such cases, you should find out the underlying cause and proceed with therapy on time.
Cause
Unpleasant sensations in the back and neck area in most cases occur due to muscle spasms and vertebral subluxation. They are quite difficult to notice during a general examination by a doctor, so a more effective diagnosis is needed. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are often prescribed, which depict even small structural changes. The first technique is very suitable for examining the bone formation of the spine, and MRI allows you to find out why the muscles and soft tissues hurt.
Muscle cramp
The main reason why it gives in the back is considered to be muscle spasms. It can happen over time, after a small spasm develops into a serious muscle strain. The following factors may be the reason:
- staying for a long time in an uncomfortable position;
- incorrect position during sleep;
- great physical activity and active action;
- hypothermia, as a result of which inflammatory processes occur in the muscles.
Even a small draft can be the cause of muscle spasms. Improper use of air conditioning and high temperature differences lead to inflammation of muscle tissue.
Vertebral subluxation
In the event of mechanical damage, the vertebra is displaced to the underlying part. As a rule, this phenomenon is observed in the event of severe injuries during a car accident. Subluxation is accompanied by damage to the ligament apparatus, muscle tension and violation of the joint capsule. Doctors can recognize pathology by severe pain during palpation, when turning the head and moving the neck.
Subluxations are treated by surgeons and traumatologists. A person can adjust the vertebrae independently, but only after a qualified consultation with a specialist. In cases of mild pathology, immobilization with a Shants collar is prescribed for a month.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Another cause of interesting and painful pain in the neck can be osteochondrosis. This is a degenerative disease of the spine, which occurs as a result of metabolic disorders. The cervical part has a weak muscular corset, which causes a large load on the vertebrae. As a result, the vertebral artery is clamped, and the nutrition necessary for important brain structures does not occur.
The following factors can be the cause of osteochondrosis:
- disturbed metabolism;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- genetic predisposition;
- hypothermia;
- staying for a long time in an uncomfortable position;
- obesity.
To prevent the occurrence and further development of osteochondrosis, it is enough to do gymnastics and follow the doctor's prescription.
Intervertebral hernia
Intervertebral hernia is an inflammatory and degenerative disease, which is accompanied by deformation of the intervertebral disc and rupture of the fibrous ring. The intervertebral discs play the role of shock absorbers, reducing the damaging effects of the vertebrae on each other.
Over time, they can lose their elasticity and flexibility, causing severe pain and discomfort. When an intervertebral hernia occurs, the patient may experience frequent headaches and muscle pain. Inadequate brain nutrition causes constant dizziness, weakness and drowsiness.
Possible Complications
Even minor pain can affect a person's health or cause serious complications that require immediate surgical intervention. Ignoring inflammatory and degenerative diseases leads to the pathology of the vascular system, the occurrence of severe throbbing pain and brain disorders.
After the vertebral artery is blocked, the person experiences weakness, fatigue, visual hallucinations, and other symptoms. If the patient does not seek medical help in time, diseases such as cerebral ischemia and stroke may occur. Over time, they can be fatal.
Pathological diagnosis
After the examination by the doctor, one of the research diagnostic methods is prescribed for a broader understanding of the pathology. With mechanical injuries and vertebral injuries, CT (computed tomography) is prescribed, which is based on x-rays. X-rays are fixed in all tissues of the body and displayed differently on the monitor screen. Specialists receive several dozen images layered with three-dimensional images of the bone structure of the spine.
This method has contraindications. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it is better to choose MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which uses electromagnetic waves to detect degenerative diseases and soft tissue pathologies. Modern tomography allows you to get high-quality images of all parts of the back in a few minutes and find out the cause of back and neck pain.
If the doctor suspects an infectious disease of the central nervous system, polyneuropathy and other diseases of the central nervous system of various etiologies, then a lumbar puncture is prescribed. This method is widely used in neurology. During the procedure, the patient is given spinal anesthesia or spinal anesthesia when the patient is injected with anesthetic into the subarachnoid space. The injection is made as close as possible to the spinal nerve root.
Medical treatment
When the first symptoms occur, most people solve the problem with anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics. For the beginning of the therapeutic effect, the following drugs are used:
- Analgesics with a pronounced analgesic effect based on sodium metamizole or nalbuphine;
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that act directly on the focus of inflammation and effectively relieve swelling;
- A muscle relaxant that lowers the tone of muscle tissue and relieves tension;
- Local anesthetic and anti-inflammatory ointment.
Doctors can prescribe both tablets and ampoules, which have an immediate effect. As a complex therapy, ointment or gel is prescribed, which relieves swelling, and chondroprotectors. This group of drugs restores the joints and has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Physiotherapy procedures
In addition to drug treatment, patients are prescribed physiotherapy procedures. It can be therapeutic yoga, special massage or treatment with mineral water and mud. To choose the right gymnastics exercises and procedures, you need to consult a doctor who will prescribe a therapeutic course. In some cases, stretching exercises can lead to deterioration, so physical therapy alone is not recommended.
Another treatment method is manual therapy. The specialist performs a manual massage first to prepare the soft tissue for further exposure. Then it goes to the joints and spine. Such manipulation with the help of hands effectively helps to increase blood flow and relieve pain. The deep effect on the back muscles allows you to get rid of tension and swelling.
Some experts prescribe electrophoresis to patients. This method is based on continuous electrical discharge applied to the diseased part of the body. This method has the following advantages: reduction of inflammatory processes in the back and neck muscles, removal of edema and pain, decrease in muscle tone, increase in blood supply to back tissues. The therapeutic effect is observed after the first procedure.