The neck is, first of all, the most mobile part of the spinal column, which is responsible for the movement and rotation of the head. But if we compare the structure of the cervix and, for example, the lumbar or thoracic vertebrae, it can be noted that the former has a thinner body. But in this department all the burden of maintaining the head and movement falls. Due to such natural "injustice", the cervical region often suffers from diseases and injuries, which leads to the fact that a person's neck hurts when turning his head.
Neck pain has now become one of the most common problems. It happens to people regardless of age, occupation or physical fitness. More and more patients are turning to doctors with complaints such as: "I can't turn my head, " "My neck hurts a lot, " "My neck is cramping. "There are many reasons for such symptoms, it is important to diagnose correctly. Otherwise, it is impossible to get rid of the pain quickly.
Characteristics of pain
This situation, when it hurts to turn, is common to many. This occurs due to muscle, ligament or spinal pathology in the cervical collar zone. Moreover, the pain appears not only in the neck, but also in the shoulders, even in the hands, giving to the back of the head. Other symptoms may appear: numbness, tingling, weakness, darkness of the eyes. In this case, the head cannot be turned to the side, a person has to turn with his whole body.
In most cases, neck stiffness and pain last from a few days to a week. They can be different in character: shoot, break, burn, surround, stab. Sometimes the pain is different and in intensity: from weak, aching - to sharp, very strong. If it is not associated with any pathology, but appears because of too much work or stress, it will pass even without serious treatment, just by reducing the load and anesthetic ointment.
A visit to the doctor is necessary if the neck does not stop hurting within a week, and also when other symptoms appear. These may include numbness, tingling or crawling sensations, headache, nausea, weakness, or fever. It is important to seek medical attention also if the neck hurts suddenly for no apparent reason, and the stiffness increases quickly.
Cause
Neck pain can be caused by many factors. Often it is associated with muscle tension or an increase in their tone. This happens after doing physical exercise, for example, during sports. When a person often tilts or turns his head, lifts weights or performs high-amplitude movements with his hands, lactic acid forms in the muscles and fiber microtrauma occurs. Damage can be localized in the neck or collar area. This leads to pain that gets worse every time you turn your head.
Athletes are not the only ones who suffer from this problem. Often reduces the neck of loaders, builders, workers, tailors, drivers - that is, those whose professional activities are associated with constant fatigue of the hands and collar zone.
Static loads are no less dangerous for the neck. Often, when waking up, a person realizes that he has rested his neck. This happens because of an uncomfortable position during sleep or because of the wrong selection of bedding. For example, sleeping on a feather bed that is too soft, a large or hard pillow, a sagging sofa can cause pain in the collarbone. The same situation occurs when a person spends a long time in an uncomfortable position, for example, sitting with his head tilted in front of the computer or talking on the phone, pressing it to his ear with his shoulder.
In addition to muscle tension, injuries are often the cause of pain. In most people, the neck muscles are relatively weak, and the cervical spine has a more fragile structure than others. Because of this, any sudden movement, a blow to the neck, or even a person falling can cause injury to this area.
Suffer injuries especially muscles and ligaments. Often, the muscles that run along the back of the neck and are responsible for the movement of the scapula are subject to sprains. A common occurrence is also a vertebral fusion or fracture. The result of all injuries is severe pain that makes any movement of the head impossible.
Muscle pathologies that cause stiffness in the neck and pain when turning or leaning over also include myositis. This is muscle inflammation that occurs as a result of hypothermia, infectious disease, injury or too much energy. Inflammation is accompanied by edema, as a result of which the mobility of the head is very limited. The cause of this condition can be severe stress, which leads to muscle spasms and limits any movement of the head.
What diseases appear
There are more serious reasons for this problem. If the pain does not go away after a few days, any movement causes pain, numbness or tingling in the fingers, headache, it is very important to see a doctor. After all, most likely, such pain is a pathological symptom that requires special treatment.
With severe pain that limits the mobility of the neck, it is better to seek expert advice.
Most often it occurs in diseases of the cervical spine. Everyone has different symptoms, but pain when turning the head almost always occurs. There are some of the most common pathologies.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is now becoming more common. This is due to an inactive lifestyle, malnutrition, increased pressure on the neck muscles when sitting in front of the computer. Usually, with osteochondrosis, the neck hurts on the right or left side, because the cause is a violation of the nerve root.
A herniated disc or disc protrusion in the cervical region is common. After all, the muscles that hold the vertebrae in the correct position are weak here, and the load on the neck is always great. Therefore, the disc suffers, which, due to improper nutrition, becomes very fragile. As a result, the vertebrae come together and impinge on the nerve root. This, as well as muscle spasms, leads to pain when turning the head.
Intervertebral joint arthrosis is less common. The elderly are mostly exposed to it, because it is a degenerative-dystrophic process. Often arthrosis is accompanied by narrowing of the spinal canal and the appearance of bone growth near the vertebrae. Because of this, some patients cannot move their head at all.
Scoliosis and hunchback are not considered serious pathologies by many, but they can also cause pain and stiffness. Due to the incorrect position of the spine, the increased load falls on one side of the neck. As a result, pain appears only on the right or left side.
The cause of this condition can also be other diseases: vascular disorders, neurological pathologies or infections. Of these, meningitis is the most dangerous. This is a relatively rare, but dangerous disease. In addition to stiffness in the neck, with meningitis, a person experiences headache, nausea, weakness, and the temperature may rise. One of those diseases is meningococcal disease.
Pain and stiffness in the neck collar zone can be a symptom of scale muscle syndrome, cervical sciatica, humeroscapular periarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, vertebral artery insufficiency, occipital nerve neuralgia. Although the manifestations of these diseases may be similar, their treatment should be different, so it is very important to diagnose correctly.
Pain in children
This condition, when it is impossible to move the head, occurs even in children. Some babies are born with pathologies such as torticollis. In this case, the child's head takes a forced position - tilted to one side. This is caused by neck muscle spasms.
Pain when turning the head can also occur in older children. This is most often caused by infectious diseases. It can be lymphadenitis, mumps, purulent tonsillitis, meningitis. It is very important to recognize the disease in time and start treatment.
Treatment
In many cases, when overwork, hypothermia or stress are the cause of such an unhealthy condition, you can relieve the pain yourself. The main thing at the same time is not limited to taking painkillers. An integrated approach is required: it is necessary to limit the mobility of the head with the help of orthopedic devices, useful massage, special gymnastics, rubbing ointments or using compresses.
But if such pain is a symptom of any disease, only a doctor can determine how to properly treat it. After all, it is very important that not only symptomatic therapy is carried out, but the treatment of the underlying pathology.
Various therapeutic measures depend on the cause of the pain, but there are some that can be used in any case:
- Medicines to relieve pain, inflammation, muscle spasms, to improve blood circulation and metabolic processes.
- Rest for a few days, sometimes immobilization of the neck with a Shants collar or a more rigid orthosis is indicated, which will help speed up the healing of damaged tissue.
- Cold or warm compresses.
- Massage, apply ointment.
- Physiotherapy.
The treatment of this pathology should be complex, necessarily including massage or manual therapy.
Medical therapy
Many people, when they don't know what to do to get rid of the pain when turning their head, start taking painkillers. Sometimes this helps if such a condition is not associated with a serious illness. But remember that any analgesic or NSAID should not be taken without consulting a doctor for more than 3-5 days. Therefore, if the pain does not go away at this time, it is better to consult a specialist.
In addition, in many cases, pain relief alone will not help restore mobility to the neck, as it is still necessary to relieve muscle spasms, normalize blood circulation, and relieve inflammation.
Therefore, in such cases, drug complexes are usually prescribed:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain and inflammation.
- Relaxes muscles to relieve muscle spasms.
- Chondroprotectors help to restore cartilage tissue, increase the mobility of the spine.
- Various ointments relieve pain, inflammation, warm and relax.
- Multivitamins replace vitamin deficiencies.
Physiotherapy treatment
In addition to medications, the treatment of neck pain necessarily includes other methods. Often, a massage is prescribed, which helps to relax the muscles, increase the mobility of the neck. Manual therapy is effective, but in this department it must be used with caution. In addition, spinal traction is sometimes indicated. This method helps well with violations of nerve fibers, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia.
For any pathology, physiotherapy is effective. It can be electrophoresis, UHF, laser, magnetotherapy, paraffin application, acupuncture. Useful mud application, therapeutic bath. This procedure normalizes muscle tone, improves blood circulation and metabolic processes, and has a general strengthening effect.
And therapeutic exercises will help to consolidate the results of treatment and restore various movements. Start doing special exercises after the pain and inflammation subsides. They strengthen muscles, improve mobility, and prevent muscle spasms. All exercises are performed slowly, without sudden movements, avoiding the appearance of pain.
People's recovery
Such pathologies are treated at home. Therefore, many patients, in addition to the methods prescribed by the doctor, use various folk recipes.
- A bag of heated salt warms the neck well with muscle spasms.
- Pour boiling water over a sheet of horseradish, after cooling, attach it to the neck and wrap it with a scarf. You can leave the compress overnight if there is no severe burning sensation.
- In the same way, compresses are made from burdock or cabbage leaves.
- Mix 50 g each of honey and vodka, add 2 tablespoons of fine salt and a little grated horseradish. When the mass becomes homogeneous, use it to rub the neck.
- An effective warming compress is made from 300 ml of alcohol, 10 ml of camphor and a bottle of iodine.
- Mix egg yolks, camphor alcohol, vodka and mustard powder. Rub your neck before going to bed.
- If you mix crushed ginger root, a little garlic and butter, this ointment will help you get rid of cramps quickly.
- A good soothing and calming drink of aloe juice and black radish, mixed with honey.
By itself, the neck will not stop hurting, its mobility will not be restored. Therefore, it is better to immediately see a doctor and start the right treatment than to constantly suffer from the inability to turn your head.