Many patients turn to a medical institution complaining that their neck was pinched.
Pain occurs due to compression of nerves or arteries. In this case, impulses are transmitted through the nervous system, blood flow is disturbed. This gives rise to a sensation in which it is difficult and painful to turn the neck.
My neck was injured, what to do: reasons
In fact, there are a lot of reasons why the neck is pinched, sometimes it takes a single day to make an accurate diagnosis. First, try to remember if there was any event that resulted in the integrity of the vertebrae or tissues. It can be anything: a strong blow, sudden movements, lifting heavy objects, non-observance of any safety rules and much more. If none of the above happens, it means that the reason you cannot turn your neck is much deeper.
Below are the main factors affecting the work of the cervical spine in our spine:
1. Osteochondrosis.
2. Connective tissue is slightly more common than normal.
3. Fibrosis.
4. The development of such an unpleasant and dangerous disease as an intervertebral hernia.
5. The cartilaginous tissue located between the vertebrae is depleted.
6. There has been a displacement or complete loss of the disc.
7. Muscle spasms.
8. Any mechanical damage to the back or neck.
If your neck is pinched and you do not know what to do, you must visit a medical institution for examination.
Sore neck, what to do: symptoms
As you can see, there are many reasons for the development of such an unpleasant state, but if there are any symptoms that are inherent in pinching? In order to answer this question, you need to consider how our neck is arranged.
There are 8 large nerves in the cervical region; if at least one of them is pinched, the patient will experience severe pain. Since our spine completes the cervical spine, even minor damage to it can lead to serious problems.
We can distinguish the main symptoms, according to which it becomes clear that a pinched nerve has occurred:
1. Severe pain in the shoulder joint indicates pinching of C 5 nerve.
2. If C 6 nerve is affected, numbness of the hands occurs. In this case, the hands may prick strongly or hurt periodically. Depending on how badly the nerve is affected, both the whole arm and several fingers can be affected.
3. A throbbing pain that slightly extends into the fingers indicates a pinched nerve C 7.
4. If you experience severe dizziness or headaches, you can judge the muscle hypertension, or pinching. There is a violation of blood circulation, and this is a rather dangerous phenomenon, which must be treated as soon as possible.
5. Due to the fact that the neck is pinched, it is impossible to turn in one direction, when you try to do this, severe pain occurs.
6. In the muscles, weakness, hands will begin to lose their strength, there is a feeling that you cannot lift an object and hold it.
If at least one symptom occurs, visit a health facility.
Sore neck, what to do: diagnosis
Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, and it cannot be done after the first dose. If you are diagnosed, and at the same time do not conduct any research, and do not take tests, then it is better for you to find another specialist. A qualified therapist is simply obliged to refer you either to a traumatologist or a neurologist, who will choose for you treatment against the disease, and not against the relief of symptoms.
In order to identify the disease and prescribe the necessary treatment, you should conduct the following study:
1. Computed tomography. The procedure does not bear any resemblance to an x-ray. CT is prescribed if pain occurs due to changes in bone or degenerative tissue.
2. MRI is a fairly informative study, but it is worth it accordingly. The procedure is carried out within 30-40 minutes, its essence is that under the influence of magnetic waves your organs will resonate, and an image will appear on the device. The doctor can discern in what condition your bones, tissues are, even minor changes in their structure are visible.
Many people have a question whether it is possible to somehow provide first aid at home if there is no opportunity to see a doctor at the moment. You can really do this; take an anesthetic. In rare cases, fixing the neck is necessary so that the further condition does not worsen.
Sore neck, what to do: treatment
Treatment depends on the diagnosis made to the patient. But still, there are several important actions that can be called universal:
1. The affected area should be limited in mobility. Of course, no one disputes that our life is a continuous movement, but sometimes even mobility should be limited. No need to flex your neck, especially to do it yourself, do not lift heavy objects, hands should be lowered.
2. Physiotherapy. These include warming procedures, electrophoresis and much more. But physiotherapy is more a prophylaxis than a basic treatment. Assign it after the disease begins to recede.
3. Nonsteroidal drugs - help relieve pain, reduce the inflammatory process.
4. If the neck does not turn due to the fact that there is a lack of cartilage, then measures must be taken to build it up. To do this, doctors prescribe chondroprotectors to their patients, as well as a diet in which there should be enough gelatin and calcium.
5. If the damage is serious, then corticosteroids may be recommended to patients. But, as a rule, doctors try to replace such drastic measures with other drugs.
6. Not always conservative methods give the desired results, so the doctor may insist on surgery.
Many people can’t turn their neck and try to cope with the disease on their own, using warming procedures, rub the sore spot with ointments, tinctures, but this should never be done. Treatment can begin only after the examination. Any self-intervention can do even more harm.
Sore neck, what to do: prevention
If you have previously encountered such an unpleasant situation when you cannot turn your neck because of pinching it, you must definitely take preventive actions that will help to avoid relapse in the future. So, the following can be attributed to preventive measures:
1. Strengthen your muscle corset. Thanks to this, you can keep the vertebrae on the meta, even if they have already failed. Muscles are what you need to take care of all the time. And they need not just to swing, but to stretch.
2. Have a rest not only often, but also correctly. For sleep, buy the right pillow - it should be moderately soft, but of course you don’t need to sleep on the stone either. Doctors recommend purchasing roll-shaped pillows, on which the neck is well held.
3. Eat properly. The food you eat should have enough vitamins, protein, and calcium. Remember that excessive salt intake is very harmful to your health and bones.
Are physical activities useful? Undoubtedly, sport is the best prevention for our musculoskeletal system. But if the jamming has already occurred, then it is impossible to catch up with all the lost workouts.
Wait until the inflammatory process stops, and only after that ask the doctor to choose the best sport. It is not necessary to try to set records, just do yoga or, for example, fitness several times a week.
You can play sports both in the gym and at home. Giving only 20-30 minutes to active classes, you will reduce the chances of getting sick again. But once again it is worth repeating that overdoing is by no means impossible.
Any problems with the spine can adversely affect the quality of life, which is why try to monitor and maintain it. If every day you devote at least a little time to maintaining your health, then most likely you will not have such troubles in the future. But even if a relapse occurs, be sure to check again and follow all the recommendations of your doctor.
Watch your health and be healthy!
