Pain in the back and neck occurs periodically in every person. This may be due to recent physical activity, a sedentary lifestyle or the presence of serious spinal pathologies.
To find out the cause of the pain and possible complications of the disease, you should undergo a medical examination in time. Often the cause of severe back pain can be a herniated disc or severe damage to the spine due to an injury.
In elderly patients, pain in the lumbar region is associated with degenerative diseases of bone tissue. In the future, the development of the disease will lead to the need for surgical intervention, when drug treatment will not bring the expected effect. Therefore, you should not delay going to the doctor or independently determine the pathology.
Symptoms
Painful sensations begin to appear in the cervical region, after which they move to the shoulders and the area between the shoulder blades. In this case, the patient has pain when moving the head or shoulder joint. In the future, such manifestations become stronger, and the person feels stiffness when turning his head.
The main symptoms that a person has serious spinal pathologies are:
- numbness of the shoulder joint and neck muscles;
- periodic feeling of pain in the upper back;
- muscle tension;
- clicking and characteristic sounds of joints;
- limitation of free shoulder movement that occurs after sleep;
- burning sensation in soft tissues;
- sharp shooting on different sides of back;
- discomfort around the ligaments and neck.
When these symptoms appear, a person begins to think about why the back and neck can hurt and what should be done to get rid of the discomfort. In such cases, you should know the underlying causes and start therapy in time.
Causes
Unpleasant sensations in the back and neck area are in most cases due to muscle spasms and vertebral subluxations. They are quite difficult to spot during a general examination by a doctor, so a more efficient diagnosis is needed. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are often prescribed, which visualize even minor structural changes. The first technique is suitable 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 why it gives in the back is considered to be muscle spasms. They can occur over time, after a small cramp develops into a serious muscle strain. This could be due to the following factors:
- prolonged stay in uncomfortable positions;
- incorrect position during sleep;
- great physical activity and active actions;
- hypothermia, which causes inflammatory processes in the muscles.
Even a small draft can cause a muscle spasm. Improper use of air conditioning and high temperature differences lead to inflammation of muscle tissue.
Vertebral subluxation
In case of mechanical damage, the vertebrae move to the lower one. As a rule, this phenomenon is observed in case of severe injuries during traffic accidents. Subluxations are accompanied by damage to the ligament apparatus, muscle tension and damage to the joint capsule. The doctor can recognize the pathology by severe pain during palpation, when turning the head and moving the neck.
Subluxations are treated by surgeons and traumatologists. A person can independently adjust the spine, 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 pulling and aching pain in the neck can be osteochondrosis. This is a degenerative disease of the spine, which occurs as a result of metabolic disorders. The cervical part has a weak muscular corset, which causes a large load on the vertebrae. As a result, the vertebral artery is constricted and the necessary nutrition of important brain structures does not occur.
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 recommendations.
Intervertebral hernia
Intervertebral hernia is an inflammatory and degenerative disease that is accompanied by deformation of the intervertebral disc 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 may experience frequent headaches and muscle pain. Insufficient nutrition of the brain causes dizziness, weakness and constant sleepiness.
Possible complications
Even minor pains can then 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 pains and disorders of the brain.
After the vertebral artery is blocked, a person experiences weakness, fatigue, visual hallucinations and other symptoms. If the patient does not seek medical help in time, diseases such as cerebral ischemia and stroke may occur. Over time, they can be fatal.
Diagnosis of pathologies
After a doctor's examination, one of the diagnostic research methods is prescribed for a broader understanding of the pathology. In the case of mechanical injuries and vertebral injuries, CT (computed tomography) is prescribed, which is based on an X-ray. X-rays are fixed in all tissues of the body and are displayed differently on the monitor screen. The specialist receives several dozen layered images with a three-dimensional image of the bone structures of the spine.
The method has its contraindications. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it is better to choose MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which uses electromagnetic waves to detect degenerative diseases and pathologies of soft tissues. Modern tomographs allow you to get high-quality images of all parts of the back in a few minutes and find out why your 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 different etiology, then 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 anesthetic into the subarachnoid space. The injection is made as close as possible to the roots of the spinal nerves.
Treatment
When the first symptoms appear, most people solve the problem with anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. The following drugs are used to start the therapeutic effect:
- Analgesics with 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 that lower the tone of muscle tissue and relieve tension;
- Local anesthetic and anti-inflammatory ointments.
The doctor can also prescribe tablets and ampoules, which have an immediate effect. Ointments or gels that relieve swelling and chondroprotectors are prescribed as complex therapy. This group of drugs restores the joints and has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Physiotherapy procedures
In addition to drug treatment, the patient is also prescribed physiotherapy procedures. It can be therapeutic yoga, special massage or treatment with mineral waters and mud. To choose the right gymnastic exercises and procedures, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe therapeutic courses. In some cases, stretching exercises can make the condition worse, so physical therapy alone is not recommended.
Another method of treatment is manual therapy. The specialist preliminarily performs manual massage to prepare the soft tissues for further exposure. Then it goes to the joints and spine. Such manipulations with the help of hands effectively help improve blood flow and relieve pain. The deep effect on the back muscles allows you to remove tension and swelling.
Some experts prescribe electrophoresis to the patient. This method is based on constant electrical discharges that are applied to diseased areas of the body. The method has the following advantages: reduction of the inflammatory process in the muscles of the back and neck, removal of edema and pain, reduction of muscle tone, improvement of blood supply to the tissues of the back. The therapeutic effect is observed after the first procedure.