Back and neck pain occurs periodically in everyone. This may be due to recent physical activity, a sedentary lifestyle, or the presence of serious spinal conditions.
To find out the cause of pain and possible complications of diseases, you should undergo a medical examination in a timely manner. Severe back pain can often be caused by a herniated disc or severe damage to the spine from an injury.
In elderly patients, pain in the lumbar region is associated with degenerative diseases of bone tissue. In the future, if drug treatment does not bring the expected effect, the development of the disease will lead to surgical intervention. Therefore, you should not postpone the visit to the doctor or independently determine the pathology.
symptoms
Painful sensations appear in the neck area, after which they pass to the shoulders and the area between the shoulder blades. In this case, the patient experiences pain during movement of the head or shoulder joint. In the future, such manifestations become stronger, and the person feels stiff when turning his head.
The main symptoms that a person has serious pathologies of the spine are:
- numbness of the shoulder joint and neck muscles;
- periodic upper back pain;
- muscle tension;
- Clicks and characteristic sounds of the joints;
- restriction of free movement of the shoulder that occurs after sleep;
- tingling in soft tissues;
- sharp shooting from different sides of the back;
- Discomfort about the ligaments and neck.
When these symptoms appear, a person begins to think about why the back and neck can hurt and what needs to be done to get rid of the discomfort. In such cases, you should know the underlying causes and initiate therapy in good time.
causes
Unpleasant sensations in the back and neck area are caused in most cases by muscle spasms and subluxations of the vertebrae. They are quite difficult to detect with a general examination by a doctor, so more effective diagnosis is needed. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are often prescribed, which also make minor structural changes visible. The first technique is good for examining the bone formations of the spine, and MRI allows you to find out why muscles and soft tissues hurt.
muscle cramps
The main reason for sagging in the back is muscle spasms. They can appear over time, after a minor spasm has developed into a serious muscle strain. The following factors can be the reason:
- prolonged stay in uncomfortable positions;
- wrong position during sleep;
- large physical activity and active actions;
- Hypothermia, as a result of which inflammatory processes occur in the muscles.
Even a small draft can cause muscle cramps. Improper use of air conditioning and high temperature differences lead to inflammation of muscle tissue.
subluxation of the vertebrae
With mechanical damage, the vertebrae are displaced to the one below. As a rule, this phenomenon is observed with serious injuries in car accidents. Subluxations are associated with damage to the ligaments, muscle tension and injuries to the joint capsule. The doctor can identify the pathology by severe pain when palpating, turning the head and moving the neck.
Subluxations are treated by surgeons and traumatologists. A person can independently adjust the vertebrae, but only after a highly qualified consultation with a specialist. In mild cases of pathology, immobilization with a shants collar is prescribed for a month.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Another cause of aching and aching neck pain can be osteochondrosis. This is a degenerative disease of the spine that occurs as a result of metabolic disorders. The cervical part has a weak muscular corset, which puts a heavy load on the vertebrae. As a result, the A. vertebralis is clamped and the necessary nutrition of important brain structures is no longer necessary.
The following factors can serve as causes of osteochondrosis:
- disturbed metabolism;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- genetic predisposition;
- hypothermia;
- prolonged stay in uncomfortable positions;
- Obesity.
To prevent the occurrence and further development of osteochondrosis, it is enough to do gymnastic exercises and follow the doctor's prescriptions.
intervertebral hernia
Intervertebral hernia is an inflammatory and degenerative disease associated with disc deformation and rupture of the fibrous ring. Intervertebral discs play the role of shock absorbers, reducing the destructive effect of the vertebrae on each other.
Over time, they can lose their elasticity and flexibility, causing severe pain and discomfort. When an intervertebral hernia occurs, the patient can often experience headaches and muscle pain. Inadequate nutrition of the brain causes dizziness, weakness and constant drowsiness.
Possible complications
Then even small pains can adversely affect a person's health or cause serious complications that require immediate surgical intervention. Ignoring inflammatory and degenerative diseases leads to pathologies of the vascular system, the appearance of severe throbbing pain and brain disorders.
After the vertebral artery is occluded, the person experiences weakness, fatigue, visual hallucinations, and other symptoms. If the patient does not seek medical help in a timely manner, diseases such as cerebral ischemia and stroke may occur. Over time, they can be deadly.
Diagnosis of pathologies
After examination by a doctor, one of the diagnostic research methods is prescribed for a broader understanding of the pathology. With mechanical injuries and injuries to the vertebrae, CT (computed tomography) based on X-rays is prescribed. X-rays are fixed in all tissues of the body and appear differently on the monitor screen. The specialist receives several dozen layer images with a three-dimensional representation of the bone structures of the spine.
The method has its contraindications. During pregnancy and lactation, it is better to opt for MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which uses electromagnetic waves to detect degenerative diseases and soft tissue pathologies. Modern tomographs allow you to get high-quality images of all parts of the back in a few minutes and find out why the back and neck hurt.
If the doctor suspects an infectious disease of the central nervous system, polyneuropathy and other diseases of the central nervous system of various etiologies, a lumbar puncture is prescribed. This method is widely used in neurology. During the procedure, the patient is given spinal anesthesia, or spinal anesthesia when the patient is injected with an anesthetic into the subarachnoid space. The injection is given as close as possible to the roots of the spinal nerves.
Medical treatment
When the first symptoms appear, most people solve the problem with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs. For the onset of a therapeutic effect, the following drugs are used:
- Analgesics with a pronounced analgesic effect based on metamizole sodium or nalbuphine;
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that act directly on the focus of inflammation and effectively relieve swelling;
- muscle relaxants, which lower the tone of muscle tissue and relieve tension;
- Anesthetic and anti-inflammatory ointments with local action.
The doctor can prescribe both tablets and ampoules, which act immediately. As a complex therapy, ointments or gels are prescribed that relieve swelling and chondroprotectors. This group of drugs restores joints and has anti-inflammatory effects.
Physiotherapeutic procedures
In addition to drug treatment, the patient is prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures. This can be therapeutic yoga, a special massage or a treatment with mineral water and mud. In order to choose the right gymnastic exercises and procedures, you need to consult a doctor who will prescribe therapeutic courses. In some cases, stretching exercises can make it worse, so physical therapy alone is not recommended.
Another treatment method is manual therapy. The specialist preliminarily performs a manual massage to prepare the soft tissues for further exposure. Then it goes to the joints and the spine. Such manipulations with the help of hands effectively help to improve blood circulation and reduce pain. A deep effect on the muscles of the back allows you to get rid of tension and swelling.
Some specialists prescribe electrophoresis to the patient. This method is based on constant electrical discharges that are applied to diseased parts of the body. The method has the following advantages: reducing the inflammatory process in the muscles of the back and neck, eliminating edema and pain, reducing muscle tone, improving blood circulation in the back tissues. The therapeutic effect is observed after the first procedure.