Every person is familiar with headaches and knows first-hand what it is. Absolutely anyone can confirm how excruciating the state of constant tormenting pain is. What could a spasm indicate, and why does it appear? Headache problems sporadically, or you can live with them for years. Today there are a large number of medications for this disease. You can take a pill and forget about what was bothering you 15 minutes ago.
It is necessary to respond to any signal from the body, and do it competently . Such a symptom may indicate the progression of various human diseases, which he may not even be aware of.
Causes and nature of pain in the neck and back of the head
So, the main causes of pain in the cervical spine, then cervicalgia, are:
| Traumatic causes |
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| Infectious causes |
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| Rheumatological causes |
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| Neoplasia |
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| Neurological causes |
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The nature of the pain can be very diverse: aching, shooting, burning, pulling, sharp. It is quite difficult to make a diagnosis based only on patient complaints, so a full range of diagnostic methods is needed .
Therefore, it is obvious that if pain occurs in this location, it is necessary to contact an experienced specialist. Thus, an experienced doctor, when complaining of pain in the neck, can palpate the patient’s supraclavicular areas and suspect advanced stomach cancer.
This occurs due to metastatic spread of the tumor to Virchow's supraclavicular lymph node. Also, supposedly typical pain in the cervical spine may be the first symptom of severe intestinal damage - ulcerative colitis, the treatment of which involves lifelong therapy with cytostatics, glucocorticoids, and chemotherapy.
Video: “Pain in the back of the head, neck, head: causes”
Features of pain with high blood pressure
High blood pressure is characterized by an increase in readings on the tonometer above 140/90 mm Hg. Art. The basic symptoms caused by increased pressure are a feeling of weakness, irregular heart rhythm, and throbbing pain in the occipital region. When bending slightly forward, a person feels increased pain, dizziness, and an attack of nausea or vomiting occurs.
Note! The frequency of pain may indicate the development of chronic hypertension. Approximately 50% of neck pain confirms the presence of high blood pressure.
Many patients suffering from hypertension have swelling on the eyelids and face. It is worth noting that without taking the pill, a hypertensive crisis normalizes in the evening, provided that the person continues to move and do household chores. Occipital pain occurs due to the fact that the venous vessels dilate and put pressure on the receptors located along the veins. Without increasing vascular tone, hypertension develops inside the skull. To increase blood flow through the veins, the patient is recommended to take a semi-sitting position or stand up.
Increased intracranial pressure is the main cause of occipital pain, which intensifies and pulsates when changing the position of the body in space. Pressure sensations occur during strong surges, when the upper limits of pressure rise from 170 to 230 mm Hg. Art. This kind of destructive processes disrupts cerebral blood flow, the overall tone of the intracranial veins decreases, and the spasm of a large cerebral artery weakens.
Associated symptoms
Depending on the true cause of the pain, accompanying symptoms may vary.
Rheumatological causes
In rheumatoid diseases, pain in the neck occurs due to the involvement of the 1st and 2nd cervical vertebrae in the pathological process , as well as the development of degenerative-dystrophic changes in them.
Symptoms can range from minor localized neck pain to paresthesias and severe neurological manifestations.
Associated symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can be : pain with movement and morning stiffness in large and small joints, symmetry of joint damage, subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules, swelling. Rheumatoid factor can be detected in the blood; radiographs of the joints show classic changes in the form of osteoporosis and cartilage dystrophy.
With ankylosing spondylitis (ankylosing spondylitis) in the first stages of the disease, the sacral spine is predominantly affected; in later stages, the entire spinal column, including the cervical spine, can be involved in the process. Associated symptoms include deformation of the spinal column, damage to the eyes (uveitis), skin (psoriasis), pain in the places where muscles are attached, limited movement in the diseased part of the spine, and limited excursion of the chest.
With UC and Crohn's disease, symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract attract attention: abdominal pain, blood and mucus in the stool, gas formation. The diagnosis is made after a colonoscopy and biopsy results.
Neoplasia
Pain in the cervical spine can be provoked by the presence of metastatic foci in the vertebrae. Most often this is the localization of metastases of breast cancer and prostate cancer .
It is difficult to find any specific symptoms of cancer, especially at an early stage when a person can be successfully cured. However, with breast cancer there is such a symptom - a palpable formation in the gland.
A “lump” in the breast is not necessarily cancer, but it is still a reason to be wary and visit a breast oncologist. Mammography, ultrasound of the mammary glands and, if necessary, cytological examination of the material will help make an accurate diagnosis.
With prostate cancer, patients complain of pain when urinating, a change in the color of urine, a change in the nature of the stool, but often the first symptom is pain in the spine when the cancer has already metastasized.
In some cases, neck pain is caused by Pancoast cancer - cancer of the upper segment of the lung . It is characterized by a triad: ptosis, miosis and enophthalmos (Horner's syndrome). Computed tomography and histological examination will help make a diagnosis.
There are situations when cervicalgia is caused by primary tumors of the head and neck: cancer of the larynx, tracheal cancer, tongue cancer, etc.
Infectious causes
The most common manifestation of cervicalgia is meningitis , the symptoms of which include severe headache, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, vomiting, and specific symptoms of Brudzinsky and Kernig. A cytological examination of the cerebrospinal fluid will help make an accurate diagnosis.
Abscesses and cellulitis in the neck and head area usually have a very characteristic clinical picture: hot, reddened, painful skin with areas of fluctuation. This diagnosis will be made by a surgeon and the problem will be eliminated surgically.
Neurological causes
With the neurological nature of neck pain, patients are often bothered by myalgia, spasms, headaches, decreased visual acuity and hearing, weakness in the arms, dizziness, fatigue, tingling sensations, numbness, crawling sensations.
Characteristics of pain with low blood pressure
The patient's hypotension is characterized by 100/60 mm Hg. Art., can be chronic and episodic. The development of hypotension is related to internal processes occurring in the body: hormonal imbalances, chronic fatigue, lack of sleep, infectious diseases.
See also Pressure indicators during menopause
With hypotension, pain is localized in the occipital or parietal region. Occipital pain with low blood pressure is dull and squeezing in nature. Features of low blood pressure: drowsiness, frequent yawning, the appearance of black spots before the eyes, loss of consciousness, vomiting.
Treatment of cervicalgia
First aid for neck pain
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Next fact
The first thing to do in case of sudden neck pain is to ensure a stable position of the cervical spine . To do this, give the patient a comfortable position, exclude active movements and external stimuli.
If you suspect an injury, you must urgently call an ambulance and make sure that the patient does not move. The patient cannot be moved in this condition. It is allowed to give an anesthetic before the arrival of the medical team.
Drug treatment for neck pain
Treatment of cervicalgia depends on its cause and is extremely varied. However, there are nonspecific remedies that can help get rid of unpleasant symptoms.
These are the so-called nonspecific anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) .
This group of drugs includes Diclofenac, Ketorolac, Ibuprofen, Meloxicam, etc.
They have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects.
However, it must be remembered that these medications have side effects and are best taken as prescribed by a doctor.
In addition, corticosteroids and muscle relaxants are used for cervicalgia. For severe pain, blockades with local anesthetics are justified.
Physiotherapy
Physical therapy is a good method of treating degenerative diseases of the cervical spine . It is physical exercise that helps reduce pressure on the intervertebral discs, which eliminates neck pain. The exercises of choice in this case are static exercises performed under the supervision of an experienced physical therapy doctor.
More material on the topic:
- Why does my child have a sore neck and head?
- You can learn more about the causes of neck pain in the front by following this link.
- Find out which ointments are best for eliminating pain in the cervical region by going to the page
- You can read reviews about Shishonin’s cervical gymnastics in the article
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy has a good effect. For dorsopathies, electrophoresis, hirudotherapy, mud therapy, balneotherapy, microcurrent therapy, laser therapy and more can be used.
Folk remedies
If you know exactly the cause of your neck pain, then you can try to get rid of the discomfort with the help of folk remedies.
- Burdock root . Grind 1 medium sized burdock root. Pour 1 tablespoon of the prepared mixture into 250 ml of boiling water. Leave for 4 hours, consume 1/3 cup three times a day for about 2 weeks.
- Horseradish compress . Rinse the horseradish leaf with boiling water, apply the leaf to the affected area, and wrap it with a warm scarf. Leave the compress for 12 hours. It is advisable to perform the procedure at least 10 times.
- Neck compress made from vodka and honey . Mix 50 g of vodka and honey until smooth, then add 2 tablespoons of salt. Apply the mixture to the sore spot 2 times a day for 10-15 minutes.
Video: “How to eliminate neck pain?”
Massage
Massage is an effective means of treating and preventing a number of pathological conditions in the head and neck area. It must be remembered that the neck is a rather delicate place in the human body, where many nerve trunks and blood vessels pass, so massage of the cervical spine should be exclusively a medical procedure.
It is necessary to remember about contraindications to massage:
- Acute viral infections
- Cervical spine injuries
- Fever
- Skin diseases in the acute stage
- Purulent diseases in the area of influence
- Decompensated cardiovascular diseases and diseases of the respiratory system
There are several types of cervical spine massage : classic and acupressure. There are also hardware techniques and self-massage techniques. The classic version involves techniques standard for any massage: stroking, rubbing, kneading and vibration. Acupressure involves influencing specific points of the body. With hardware methods, procedures are carried out using massage devices.
Stroking: movements are performed with fingers 2,3,4 of both hands from the head to the shoulder girdle on the count of one, two, three, four. You can do up to 8 repetitions. Movements should be light and smooth. The goal of this stage is to relax the muscles of the neck, back and shoulder girdle.
Rubbing: 2,3,4 fingers of both hands make circular movements from the back of the head to the shoulder girdle. 4 large circles on each side. Maximum – 7 repetitions. This type of movement is more active, so its goal is to increase blood supply in the affected area.
Kneading: the thumbs of both hands are placed on the neck muscles, and fingers 2,3,4,5 are fixed on the trapezius muscle. Circular movements clockwise from the back of the head to the shoulder girdle. Maximum – 8 repetitions.
Vibration: the palms of both hands are placed with the edge on the trapezius muscle. They strike first with one hand, then with the other, creating vibration. Vibration should not last more than 15 seconds.
The massage ends with stroking.
Self-massage
Self-massage of the cervical spine is performed in a vertical position . You need to place both hands on the back of your neck and stroke from the base of the skull to the shoulder girdle. Next, proceed to rubbing without changing direction. Carry out the slivers. In turn, he lifts the left and then the right shoulder girdle. Finish the manipulations with stroking. Relax.
