Causes and treatments of neck and back pain

Neck pain is a common symptom experienced by modern people, regardless of age and gender. The most common reason is working in front of the computer for long periods of time. Generally speaking, a sedentary lifestyle greatly exacerbates this problem. But this disease cannot be put aside because the neck is an important part of the body. It is made up of seven vertebrae and contains many arteries, muscles, nerves, organs and glands.Pain may be caused by a seasonal cold or a more serious illness, injury, or sprain. There are other factors that influence whether you suffer injuries to your neck and head. We will analyze them in more detail in our review and consider ways to treat and prevent congestion in the neck and collar area.

nature of pain

Sometimes the pain in the neck is so severe that it is difficult to understand which direction the lesion is located. Nonetheless, analyze your condition and try to determine the nature and location of the pain. This will help you decide what to do next. There are different types of neck pain:

• Acute – Indicates a malfunction of a body function.
• Chronic – Lasts for a long time, recedes and grows again.
• Visceral – The cause is damage to internal organs.
• Superficial – Usually minor lesions on the skin.
• Deep down is tissue inflammation.
• Central – Related to nervous system problems.
• Neurogenic – Peripheral nerves are disturbed, but pain points are not affected.

It's a dull pain

Often, pressure pain is the body's response to unusually strenuous physical activity. You can feel it the day after training. Under stress, lactic acid can build up in muscles. It sends signals to nerve receptors, a process that causes the sensation of pain. When your upper body is stressed, not only will your neck be sore, but your back and shoulders will be too. But there are other reasons:

• Axial inflorescence;
• Myalgia;
• Inflammatory process in muscles.

acute pain

Sharp and painful shooting attacks make any action very complicated. Living with these symptoms can be very difficult, so start testing and treatment immediately. It may be:

• osteochondrosis;
• vertebral body displacement;
• neuralgia;
• Intervertebral hernia.

Why does it hurt? Why does it hurt?

Pay attention to which side of your neck hurts and whether there is any discomfort when turning. Maybe the lower back pain radiates to the head or back. Before treatment begins, every detail matters.

only one side

If the pain is limited to one side, several factors may be at play:

• Hypothermia – Being exposed to wind or walking without a scarf during the cold season can cause discomfort.
• Muscle spasms – Strenuous exercise or weight-bearing may cause your muscles to overwork. Keep this in mind if you are carrying heavy luggage over the next few days - maybe this is the reason.
• The bed is uncomfortable - Over time, the mattress may sag and the pillows may become uneven. Unnatural sleeping positions can lead to increased neck pain. Maybe you need to change something about your sleeping area.
• Cervical radiculitis is a result of the development of osteochondrosis. With this disease, the activity of the spinal nerves is disrupted. The result is severe pain on one side of the neck.
• Tendon inflammation is an acute process that occurs in the shoulder joint and can cause pain on the right or left side.
• Retropharyngeal abscess is a possible complication of late-stage sore throat. The purulent process spreads to nearby tissues, causing an abscess to form.

In all of these cases it is not uncommon for the pain to go away within a few days. There is no need to see a doctor. But there are also more serious cases, pain on one side of the neck - an injury caused by violent turning of the head. This is also frequently observed in the pathogenesis if the patient suffers from a serious infectious disease, such as tuberculosis.

behind

The neck area is made up of vertebrae and is the most mobile and fragile part of the spine. Therefore, if you have pain in the back of your neck, it could be caused by a number of factors of varying nature.

• Osteochondrosis - In this condition, there is pain in the neck mainly in the back. The discs become weak and deformed. Hence: the appearance of neck pain - a disease from the neurological field. In this case, the patient experiences stinging and throbbing pain. The hands and back of the head become numb.
• Spinal stenosis is a spinal disorder that is usually limited to the upper part of the spine and therefore can be the cause of pain in the back of the neck. The disease progresses due to narrowing of the spinal canal and may be accompanied by numbness in the extremities.

in the back of my head

The neck and back of the head are in close proximity, so common diseases often occur in these two body parts. Pain in the back of the head may be caused by:

• sprain. The neck muscles are located right next to the back of the head, so any injury can cause back headaches. This area of the body reacts particularly strongly during large movements, such as jumping or brisk walking.
• There is a problem with the spine. As we already pointed out above, the neck is made up of vertebrae, with the back of the head closest to the first vertebra. Therefore, when violations occur on the field ridges,
  Headache in the back of the head.

cause headache

Headaches caused by neck pathology may be caused by stagnant blood flow to the spine.

• Sedentary Lifestyle – At work, you sit motionless in front of your computer for hours and when you get home, you do the same thing in a relaxed atmosphere. Many people live like this now. Therefore, it is not uncommon for neck pain to radiate to the head. At the same time, a feeling of weakness and apathy emerged. High-risk groups: drivers, office workers, programmers, operators.
• Sudden movements – sharp turns of the neck can cause compression of nerves, which can pierce and radiate into the head.
• pressure. Psychogenic factors also play a role in the development of disease. Continuous tension and emotional overload can lead to neck muscle tension and nerve pain.

growing lump

Tissue proliferation is accompanied by high body temperature, indicating that inflammatory processes are taking place in the body. The bumps were painful, I couldn't touch them, and my body was very weak. A swollen lump in your neck is a sign of serious illness.

• Infectious diseases - flu or sore throat can cause lumps to appear. Pain is a sign of purulent inflammation. One of the main symptoms: the patient has pain when swallowing.
• Oncology – Neoplasmic processes in the lymphatic system causing visible growths in the body.
• Weakness - The immune system sends out alarm signals.

neck and shoulder pain

Pain in the neck and shoulder girdle, combined with the growth of a lump, is a constant companion for anyone who regularly performs strenuous labor. Just like the previous case, the main problem here is the growing mass. Just no heat. The structure is painful when touched, but is less severe. However, this factor can have a negative impact on the neck and shoulders. You can get rid of unpleasant feelings by changing the type of activity to one that is easier on your body. A lump may be a sign of:

• Fibrolipoma, lipoma or atherosclerotic plaque - its formation can develop from a large size to a noticeable hump. The growth process is reflected in adjacent parts of the body.
• Tumors – For an accurate analysis, you will need to contact an oncologist.

what to do?

If the pain does not subside within a few days, you need to go to the hospital. Your doctor will perform an exam, and to get a complete picture, you may need additional tests:

• Tomography.
• Electrocardiogram.
• Ultrasonography.
• Blood analysis.
• X-rays.

After a series of examinations, the doctor will make a conclusion and formulate the necessary procedures. When treating the neck and collar area, it helps:

• Therapeutic Gymnastics - Wellness Complex will help normalize processes in the neck area, as well as the entire body.
• Massage - should only be performed by a manual therapist; self-massage should only be performed after training as a massage therapist.
• Medication - Antibiotics and painkillers will help eliminate painful symptoms and treat the infectious cause of the disease. In other cases, tablets are selected strictly individually.
• A course of injections – The active substances in injections have better bioavailability, which means symptom relief sooner than taking medications.
• Acupuncture is an Eastern therapy that can significantly improve physical conditions by affecting certain points on the body. It is best performed in conjunction with a classic massage.
• Electrical stimulation uses pulsed electric current to help dilate blood vessels and tone the body.
• Leech Treatment – These worms have the ability to flood a person’s blood with useful components. Among them, hirudin is an anticoagulant—a substance that helps improve blood circulation and hematopoiesis.

Gymnastics every day

Therapeutic exercises will be an effective preventive measure. Just 10 minutes of exercise in the morning will make your neck muscles stronger and your back more flexible. Perform all exercises 5-10 times.

1. Sit up straight in your chair. Slowly and clearly turn your face to the right, then to the left.
2. Lower your chin and extend the top of your head toward the ceiling. Tilt your head back and feel a stretch in the front of your neck.
3. Keep your back straight and tilt your head parallel to the floor. Support your chin with your right hand, turn your face to the right, and feel the stretch on the side of your neck. Do the same thing to the left with your left hand.
4. Stand tall, lift your shoulders, and place your arms across your body. Freeze for 10 seconds and relax.

Folk remedies for neck health

Taking your grandma's remedies to support your health will only improve your results. Especially in combination with other methods. Please note the recipe:

• Chicory infusion. Pour a cup of boiling water over a spoonful of vanilla and leave it for two hours. Drink water in small sips throughout the day.
• Mint compress. Add mint leaves to a glass of water and leave for a few hours. Soak a cloth in the mixture and apply it to the sore area.
• Kimiyo Ointment. Combine the honey, red pepper and mumiyo and cook in a water bath for 30 minutes. Cool and apply as a poultice.
• Echinacea. Take this medicine 3 times a day to strengthen your immune system.
• Add 100 grams of honey and an equal amount of chopped lard to a glass of warm milk. Take 1 tablespoon with food.

The methods described here are helpful only for minor illnesses. Prevention will protect you from them in the future. If an illness causes acute discomfort, do not self-medicate and seek medical advice as soon as possible.