Like the plague that "mowed" the population of Europe in the 14th century, today's people are affected by diseases of the musculoskeletal system. At the same time, the fate of our contemporary is even less enviable: pathologies of the musculoskeletal system often lead to severe disability, depriving a person of the opportunity to work and even take care of himself. It is difficult to tolerate both physically and psychologically.
The numbers speak for themselves: according to WHO statistics, every second inhabitant of the planet in one way or another experiences problems with the musculoskeletal system. The described diseases are accompanied by a mass of syndromes. One of these pathological syndromes is pain in the muscles of the neck. This is not an independent disease, but a symptom that accompanies many diseases: some of them are relatively harmless, while others determine the prospect of disability.
It is important to learn as much as possible about this pathological symptom.
Neck muscles hurt: causes
There are so many possible reasons why neck muscles hurt. It is far from always necessary to talk about pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
The source of pain can be hidden in the internal organs. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to get acquainted with the list of possible causes of pain in the muscles of the neck.
All factors can be divided into several groups:
• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system itself.
• Diseases of the internal organs.
• Diseases caused by a violation of the blood supply to the neck.
• Inherited pathology.
Musculoskeletal system diseases
• Osteochondrosis. Surely everyone heard about this notorious disease. Osteochondrosis is a degenerative lesion of the vertebrae caused by excessive loads or malnutrition of the bone structures themselves. In all cases, a slow destruction of the spine occurs, accompanied by intense pain. The muscles of the neck are in a spasmodic state and are stretched, like reins. Over time, such hypertonicity is fixed by the body and the muscle corset remains in this state.
• Hernia of the cervical spine. They are not so common, but are characterized by an even more intense pain syndrome and a host of other symptoms. Hypertonicity in this case is caused by inflammation of the musculoskeletal structures of the neck.
• Myositis. Inflammation of the neck muscles itself. In the people, this condition has the characteristic "puffed neck". As a result of hypothermia, inflammation occurs, as a result - pain and the impossibility of normal movement.
• Long-term static loads lead to one of the most difficult conditions for correction: muscle hypertonicity. With a long-lasting one and the same position of the neck, the state is fixed. "At the exit" the patient receives the "petrified" muscles. Over time, calcium salts are deposited in spasmodic muscles, which only reduces neck mobility.
Diseases of the internal organs
It may happen that the neck has nothing to do with pain.
In this case, some diseases mimic under myositis, osteochondrosis, etc.
The main diseases with which you need to differentiate neck pathologies are tracheitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia.
Pain from the respiratory system can radiate (give) to the neck, and it seems to the patient that it hurts.
Circulatory problems
The reasons why the neck hurts may be due to problems with the vessels.
As a result of compression by the spasmodic muscles of the basilar arteries that feed the occipital lobe of the brain and cerebellum, the development of cervical migraine is possible.
This condition is accompanied by extremely intense pain.
Hereditary pathologies
It is extremely rare in the structure of all visits to a doctor.
This includes Duchenne disease, etc.
Concomitant symptoms of neck pain
The accompanying symptomatology is precisely that weighty factor, thanks to which the doctor, and the patient himself, are able to distinguish one condition from another. However, it is not recommended to engage in self-diagnosis and especially self-medication. At the first suspicion, you should go to honey. institution.
• Symptoms of osteochondrosis and herniated discs are similar. The pain is intense, neck mobility is severely limited. Numbness of the hands, hypertonicity of the muscles are observed (during palpation they feel extremely hard, densities can be detected in the structure). With severe lesions, breathing and heart rhythm problems are possible.
• Myositis is accompanied by sharp, monotonous pains in the muscles of the neck. As with osteochondrosis, mobility of the cervical spine is even more limited. Any movement causes an increase in pain.
• Circulatory problems cause cervical migraine and characteristic symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency: photopsies (flashes in the eyes), dizziness, sharp throbbing pains in the neck and back of the head, loss of consciousness, etc.
Diagnosis of pain in the neck
As already mentioned, self-diagnosis is not worth it.
This responsible work must be entrusted to doctors.
A logical question arises: which doctor should I go to and what should I do if my neck muscles hurt? The first person to visit is the surgeon.
It will help determine the future tactics of diagnosis.
The problems of the musculoskeletal system are dealt with by orthopedists (somewhat less often, neurosurgeons), respectively, after the surgeon, this doctor is most likely to be involved in diagnostics and treatment.
Diagnosis begins with an oral examination of the patient for complaints: history taking. The main diagnostic measures are instrumental.
They include:
• Palpation of the affected area.
• Radiography of the cervical spine. This study is necessary for visual assessment of bone structures of the spine.
• CT and / or MRI scans. Allow you to get detailed pictures of the condition of the spine. Differ in low availability for patients of Russia and the CIS countries. Therefore, they resort to them relatively rarely.
• Dopplerography of the vessels of the neck. Needed to evaluate blood flow in the basilar arteries.
Laboratory studies in the context of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system are uninformative.
Neck muscles hurt: what to do?
Any patient is interested in what to do if neck muscles are sore?
The answer to the question is obvious: see a doctor as soon as possible.
Self-diagnosis is a dead end path.
To alleviate pain in the form of first aid, it is permissible to use anti-inflammatory drugs once: Ketorolac, Nise, Ibuprofen, etc., analgesics and antispasmodics.
They will help smooth out the pain syndrome, but it is impossible to take them for a long time in any case. The pain will go away, but degenerative processes will continue in a sluggish mode. This will significantly complicate the work of the doctor.
Treatment is aimed at eliminating the root cause. In 99% of cases, the root of evil lies in osteochondrosis or myositis. The following groups of medicines are prescribed for their treatment:
• Already mentioned anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Analgesics.
• Antispasmodics.
• Chondroprotectors - help stop the destruction of the musculoskeletal structures of the spine.
In exceptional cases, when conservative therapy is simply impossible, they resort to surgical intervention (for example, with "running" hernias of the spine).
At the end of the acute period, physiotherapy, massage and physiotherapy exercises can be prescribed.
These appointments should be made by a physiotherapist and only when the condition goes into remission.
Prevention of neck muscle pain
Preventive measures are quite simple:
• Do not overcool. The neck must be constantly kept warm, especially when it comes to the cold seasons.
• Office workers and anyone with a more sedentary lifestyle are advised to warm up every hour.
• Manual workers are encouraged to limit activity when possible. If this is not possible then take a break every 40 minutes.
• You should sleep on a high pillow of medium hardness. Even better - on a special orthopedic.
Pain in the neck muscles is extremely rare in the form of an isolated disease (not counting myositis). More often, they enter the symptom complex of one or another pathology. In any case, consultation with an orthopedic specialist and / or surgeon is indispensable.
Including consultation with a spinal neurosurgeon may be necessary.
