Neck pain can be painful for many reasons. In most cases, you first need to determine what is causing the pain and muscle tension to choose the right painkiller. Folk remedies and medicines help relieve neck pain quickly.
Neck structure
Neck includes:
- cervical spine,
- muscle,
- groups,
- larinks,
- thyroid gland.
There are seven vertebrae in the cervical spine. Compared to other spines, the cervical vertebrae are not large. They consist, like everyone else, of the body and process by attaching muscles and ligaments.
Between the vertebrae - a disc with a rigid outer, composed of fibrous fibers, and an inner, soft nucleus pulposus, which provides the spine with shock absorption.
Causes of neck pain
Traumatic injury
It can be obtained while playing sports, falling on the head, in an accident or a road accident. With sudden braking in the process of rapid movement in the cervical spine, "whip symptoms" occur, resulting in ligament and muscle strain, fractures, cervical disc displacement with the formation of hernias.
Poor posture
Prolonged work in monotonous positions, sleeping on uncomfortable or too soft pillows, and prolonged static pressure are predisposing factors. As a result, bows appear, the head begins to move forward relative to the body, ligaments and muscles of the neck begin to experience increased tension.
Osteochondrosis of the spine
With osteochondrosis, there is a violation of disc trophism by leveling and changes in the surrounding tissue. As a result, decreased amortization function and the appearance of pain in the neck.
Causes of osteochondrosis can be unhealthy diet, back injury, increased physical activity, poor environment, chronic stress, inactive lifestyle, bad habits. In addition, there is a genetic predisposition.
With osteochondrosis, pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, dizziness and fainting appear. Impaired hearing, vision, memory. "Vertebral artery syndrome" - flashes in front of the eyes, tincture. Impaired coordination and walking instability.
Protrusion or herniated disc
This is the name of the disc protrusion from the spinal space. With a hernia, the outer annulus is destroyed by shifting its center in any direction - sideways, backward or forward.
The most difficult pathology is the displacement of the nucleus inwards - this can lead to a violation of the spinal cord. With increasing age, osteochondrosis of the spine can accompany a hernia. All of the above factors can be the cause of hernias, as well as carrying heavy bags, scoliosis, flat feet and age-related changes in the body.
Symptoms are similar to osteochondrosis, in addition to blood pressure instability, insomnia, weakness in the hands and numbness in the fingers.
Ischemic heart disease - heart attack, angina attack
With this pathology, both radiating pain radiating to the neck and free pain in the neck and lower jaw are possible. As a rule, they are combined with other signs of myocardial ischemia: fear of death, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea and vomiting.
Benign or malignant growth
Growing tumors put pressure on nerve roots, causing neck pain and other symptoms of spinal cord compression. Benign tumors (neuroma, hemangioma) are usually the correct round shape and clear boundaries.
Mild cervical pain. Basically, there is discomfort due to tissue compression by the growing tumor. Malignant (lymphogranulomatosis, sarcoma, thyroid cancer) practically has no borders and metastases to neighboring tissues.
Tissue destruction causes pain and deterioration of general condition. Neck pain in the front occurs with tumors of the oral cavity, larynx, thyroid gland. Along with pain, difficulty arising while swallowing, impaired phonation, swelling of the face and neck.
In bone tumors, the spinal cord and nerve roots are often damaged, resulting in paralysis.
Neck myocytes
Appears after prolonged hypothermia or muscle tension. It is characterized by the appearance of acute pain while moving. Pain can be observed both with inflammation of the superficial muscles (sternocleidomastoid) and deep around the spine involved in neck movement.
Palpation reveals muscle hypertonicity and sometimes difficult and painful nodules. Chronic myositis leads to disruption of blood supply, trophism and replacement of muscle cells (myocytes) with connective tissue.
This causes pain and weakness in the neck muscles, violation of the work of the symmetry of the muscles on the side of the spine with the appearance of torticollis: inability to keep the head tightly in an upright position.
Other diseases that cause neck pain
Spondylolisthesis: one vertebra "slides" from the other with a disc trap.
Bechterew's disease - ankylosing spondylarthritis.
Meningitis. Hypertension and stiffness of the neck muscles cause severe back pain in the neck while trying to tilt the head.
How to relieve neck pain with medication
First, you need to determine the possible cause of your neck pain. In any case, limit your mobility. In the event of an injury - to ensure unsafe movement of the damaged part and refer the patient to a trauma center.
If you have a history of ischemic disease, call an ambulance and stop the pain with a sublingual vasodilator, try to calm the patient.
If there is a possibility of meningitis - if there is contact with a sick person - call an ambulance as well. But in all cases - to stop the pain yourself. Do not heat the sore spot!
Good effects are observed from taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - acetic acid. They also reduce morning cramps and have an antiplatelet effect - they prevent erythrocytes from sticking together.
Propionic acid derivatives also contribute to pain relievers. They are low toxic, well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract with sufficient area of action.
Option to replace tablet medication - suppositories.
If your neck, shoulders and arms hurt
Gel is useful for treating shoulder and arm pain.
Relieves neck pain and tension during muscle cramps
To relieve existing muscle spasms, along with analgesics, it is good to provide muscle relaxation.
External medicine for severe cervical pain
To relieve neck pain in the event of cervical osteochondrosis or other diseases, local therapy will not be excessive - the use of various scrubs and compresses. After using this swipe, wrap your neck with a warm handkerchief, avoid contact with water.
How to relieve neck pain with traditional medicine
Attach the entire spinach or burdock leaf to your neck.
Mix 50 ml of radish root juice with the same amount of vodka. Rub or apply compress.
Use pre-settled kerosene and pass through activated carbon as a heating agent to grind.
Make a honey cake from honey and flour, apply on the sore spot.
Use whole honey to grind, you can - half with aloe juice.
A mixture obtained by mixing equal parts carrot juice, honey and vodka, is used for grinding.
Use an infusion of chamomile or calendula to compress the neck area. Grind carrot root, add a little water, apply to the sore spot.
Add hot pepper, ammonia or honey to the medicine bile. Use to compress.