The neck is made up of vertebrae that run from the skull to the upper torso. The cervical discs absorb impacts between the bones. The bones, ligaments, and muscles support the head and allow it to move. If there is any abnormality, abnormality, inflammation or trauma, it can cause pain or stiffness in the neck area. At such times, it is difficult to immediately determine what the neck hurts and take action.
Many people sometimes experience discomfort or stiffness in this area, most of the time due to poor posture or overexertion. In most cases, neck pain is not a serious condition and can resolve within a few days. However, in some cases, such a symptom may indicate a serious illness and requires the consultation of a doctor.
This article will help you find out why your neck hurts on the right side, as well as other places. It will also provide a classification of the types of pain and their most common causes. Consider how you can get rid of discomfort in this part of the spine.
Types of pain in the cervical region.
To prescribe effective treatment, a specialist must accurately determine the symptoms and causes of the pathology. Doctors classify neck pain as follows:
- cervikago - lumbago;
- cervicalgia.
The last type involves pain that arises from damage to the cervical vertebrae or muscles. Cervicalgia, in turn, can be divided into pain:
- associated with skin lesions (superficial somatic);
- associated with muscle or vertebral damage (deep somatic);
- associated with the appearance in the body of an infection or disruption of the work of internal organs (visceral).
Cervicalgia, which affects adjacent areas, is divided into:
- for cervicobrachialgia (pain goes from neck to shoulders);
- to cervicocranialgia (pain runs from the neck (through the back of the head) to the head).
Speaking of cervicago, it should be noted that this pain is always sharp, it limits the mobility of the neck. It appears abruptly and torments a person for a certain time, making it impossible for him to think of anything else.
To determine why the neck hurts, it is extremely important for the doctor to establish its nature and describe it using the listed classification.
Common causes
According to medical statistics, most people who seek medical help for neck pain are diagnosed with several of the following diseases and conditions:
- cervical osteochondrosis;
- osteoporosis;
- muscle spasm;
- herniated disc;
- Swelling of the lymph nodes;
- systemic disorders in the body (infectious processes, tumors, problems with the immune system).
However, pain can be caused not only by the presence of a person's disease. The appearance of discomfort can also be caused by muscle tension or stretching (from sitting for a long time in front of the computer, driving a car, lifting weights, having an uncomfortable posture when sleeping or playing sports). Also, discomfort may appear due to the fact that a person has a headache closer to the neck.
Why is this happening and what is the root cause? Only a specialist can answer this question. Sometimes people, trying to get rid of discomfort, self-medicate - massages, antibiotics, painkillers and other drugs. However, the consequences of such actions may not be the most favorable.
It must be understood what the diseases and conditions listed above are and how they can be dangerous, and also why you cannot treat them yourself.
Cervical osteochondrosis
The appearance of this pathology in humans is associated with anatomical details. The dimensions of the cervical vertebrae are much smaller than the bony structures of other segments of the spine. The neck is constantly under stress, and this is because its main functions are to support the head and ensure its mobility. If a person asks why his neck hurts from behind, he should ask whether he has osteochondrosis in this part of the spine.
The symptoms of this disease can be the following:
- Pain from the neck to the shoulder that extends to the outer surface of the shoulder, forearm and hands.
- Penetrating pain in the neck or occipital region (especially worse in the morning, with head movement, coughing, etc. ).
- Headache (paroxysmal or persistent, dull, impulsive, aggravated by turning the head), dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears.
- Pain in the pectoral muscle.
- There is a violation of the blood flow of the cerebral arteries, which sometimes leads to a temporary loss of consciousness. With a deterioration in health, motor and speech functions can be affected.
It is not worth treating this disease on your own, since the consequences of such actions may be far from joyful. But turning to professionals, a person can be sure that the therapy will be of high quality and effective.
Typically, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis may include the use of various anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, restorative gels and ointments, physical therapy, and health exercises. Various medicinal patches, etc. can be used.
Osteoporosis
This is a bone disease that occurs when bones lose their density. As a result, they weaken and can break when dropped or received minor impacts. It is more common among women during menopause, but habits such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and poor diet and sedentary behavior increase the risk of it occurring.
For many people, the formulation of such a diagnosis can be the answer to the question why the neck hurts from behind and at the same time gives it to the arms and shoulders.
Doctors distinguish three stages of this disease. The first stage assumes that a person begins to experience such changes in the cervical spine as a decrease in the density of the vertebrae, mild cramps, weakness and pain occur. In the second stage, constant headaches appear, the pressure can drop sharply and rise above normal, numbness in the hands and general weakness appear. The third stage (the most difficult) assumes that a person experiences severe deformities in the vertebrae, a hump may appear in the neck area, and headaches and neck become constant companions.
Treatment of osteoporosis aims to slow or prevent its development, maintain bone mineral density, and reduce pain. This is achieved through the use of supplements and medications, as well as the person's revision of his lifestyle in favor of light but constant loads (walks, sports), proper nutrition.
Muscle spasm
Why does the neck on the left side hurt? The cause may be a spasm. It occurs not only on the left, but can affect the right side and the back of the neck. This is due to the involuntary contraction of the muscles as a result of intense exertion. The situation often causes severe pain that lasts from minutes to several days.
When asking why neck muscles hurt, a person should think about how he sleeps, works, and sits. Often spasms occur due to a violation of the natural position of the body, the transfer of weight on the shoulders, including bags, hunched shoulders and other conditions (including serious diseases).
Pain relievers can help relieve neck pain, relieve muscle tension, and reduce inflammation. However, they should be taken in accordance with the accompanying instructions and with the knowledge of the physician. If you are not sure whether your neck pain is caused by a spasm, you should not take any medications before consulting a specialist. In this case, you can apply an ice pack (wrapped in a towel) to your neck to temporarily relieve pain.
It is always worth remembering that it is very difficult to independently determine what your neck hurts. If the discomfort persists or intensifies, then this can be a very serious reason to see your doctor.
Disc herniation
This element is a strong ligament that connects one vertebral bone to another. The discs are padded cushions between each vertebra of the spine. A hernia in the cervical spine can occur when too much pressure is exerted even on a healthy disc (carrying heavy loads, falling from a height).
Symptoms of this condition generally include severe pain that can spread to one or both arms or legs, as well as numbness or tingling in the extremities, muscle weakness, and loss of sensation. Initially, a person may not understand why their neck hurts when turning, bending, or other habitual movements. However, over time, the discomfort becomes unbearable. Some people may not have neck or back pain with a herniated disc. The place where the symptoms will manifest depends on where exactly the pathology is located.
Treatment for a herniated disc depends on the severity of the disease and the visible damage. Most often, people's condition improves within six weeks of the first visit to the doctor. In many cases, quality medication and physical therapy are sufficient. In therapy, medications can be used to control pain and reduce muscle spasms.
Swelling of the lymph nodes.
Typically, these pathologies are the result of exposure to bacteria or viruses. When these changes occur in the body, it is not difficult to understand why the neck hurts on the left or on the right, since it is in these areas that the lymph nodes are located. They can swell in response to an upper respiratory infection, such as a cold. Associated symptoms that may be present along with edema are cough, fatigue, chills, runny nose, and profuse sweating.
What hurts the neck with swollen lymph nodes? The answer is simple: the pathological process affects the nerve endings, which send pain signals.
Treatment of such a condition generally includes identifying its nature (virus, infection, bacteria, tumor). Then the doctor prescribes drugs for the treatment of the root cause, which has a beneficial effect in eliminating the inflammatory process.
Various systemic disorders in the body.
Sometimes people may not understand why the neck and head hurt, so these sensations go to the back or arms. Often this condition can be caused by some systemic disorders in the body. These include various tumors, depression, arthritis, infectious processes, meningitis, internal bleeding, and other serious pathologies.
Pain in the cervical region can also occur when the body does not receive the required amount of some useful substances (vitamins, micro and macro elements).
Why the neck hurts in front, behind or from muscular discomfort and headaches are felt, only the doctor will answer according to the results of additional tests and studies. The main cause may be due to the poor condition of other organs, not just the neck area.
Diagnostics
The first thing to do to establish the cause of neck pain is to visit a therapist. Appoint the necessary consultation with other specialists and determine the need for technological diagnostic methods.
The specialist will explain why the neck hurts on the right side, on the left side or in another part of it. She will collect a complete history and determine what disorders in the body are currently occurring.
During the examination, a person may be assigned the following diagnostic methods:
- Magnetic resonance;
- CONNECTICUT;
- ECG;
- Ultrasound.
Magnetic resonance imaging can help determine the state of tissues, computed tomography - to identify pathologies in the cervical vertebrae, ultrasound is necessary to study the arterial ring, nearby vessels and tissues, and the ECG so that the doctor can exclude various cardiac pathologies.
In addition, one of the mandatory tests is the study of the patient's blood, which will help to establish whether inflammatory or infectious processes are taking place in the body.
To do?
All pain sufferers want to get rid of it as soon as possible. For neck discomfort, the following can help:
- Apply ice to the sore spot (initially wrap it with a towel).
- If mild pain is caused by overexertion, you should temporarily stop strenuous exercise and give your neck muscles time to rest.
- Light neck exercises (slow bends and twists) are required throughout the day.
- You need to monitor your posture so as not to aggravate the situation with additional loads on the muscles and vertebrae.
If the pain persists in a day or two, you should seek the help of a doctor who will determine why your neck hurts. If symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, fever, numbness or tingling, swelling, nausea, and inability to move your head or limbs are added, you should immediately call an ambulance team or see a specialist on your own.
Prophylaxis
In order not to wonder why the neck hurts closer to the head, in other places or muscle spasms occur, it is important to monitor your health and follow a series of the following recommendations:
- You should only sleep on comfortable pillows that allow your cervical spine to relax during rest. To avoid neck and back problems, it is best to buy an orthopedic pillow.
- The best position for a comfortable rest of the entire spine is to lie on your back. You must train yourself to fall asleep in this position.
- You need to choose the correct chair height and monitor position when working at the computer.
- Long time texting, gaming or reading on mobile devices is not worth it. This creates an excessive load on the neck (most of the time, during this activity, the head is lowered, which causes alterations in the work of this part of the spine).
- It is important to pay attention and find time to exercise, walk outside, and play sports.
- You must adjust your diet and diet. It is very important that the body receives the necessary amount of nutrients throughout the day.
- It is better to stop bad habits (overeating, smoking, drinking alcohol and drugs).
conclusion
Having considered the main reasons why the neck hurts, we can conclude that it is unlikely that it will be possible to establish and fix the problem on your own. Therefore, it is important not to doubt. You should see a specialist immediately, even if your neck pain can be tolerated. It is worth remembering that even minor discomforts can indicate disturbances in the functioning of the body.