Pain in the back and neck occurs periodically in each person. This may be due to recent physical activity, a sedentary lifestyle, or the presence of serious spinal pathology.
To find out the cause of pain and possible complications of diseases, you need to undergo a medical examination in time. Severe back pain can often be caused by a herniated disc or severe spinal damage from 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 does not bring the expected effect. Therefore, you should not postpone the visit to the doctor or independently determine the pathology.
Symptoms
Painful sensations begin to appear in the cervical region, after which they pass to the shoulders and the area between the shoulder blades. In this case, the patient has 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 pain sensations in the upper back;
- muscle tension;
- clicks and sounds characteristic of the joints;
- restriction in the free movement of the shoulder that occurs after sleep;
- tingling sensation in the soft tissues;
- sharp shots from different sides of the back;
- discomfort around the ligaments and neck.
When these symptoms occur, 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 need to know the underlying causes and proceed to therapy in time.
Causes
Unpleasant sensations in the region of the back and neck in most cases occur due to muscle spasms and subluxations of the vertebrae. They are quite difficult to notice during a general examination by a doctor, so a more effective diagnosis is needed. CT scans and MRIs 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 the muscles and soft tissues hurt.
Muscle spasms
The main reason for sagging in the back is considered to be muscle spasms. They can occur over time, after a minor spasm develops into serious muscle strain. The following factors may be the reason:
- prolonged stay in uncomfortable positions;
- wrong position during sleep;
- great physical activity and active actions;
- hypothermia, as a result of which inflammatory processes occur in the muscles.
Even a small current can be the cause of a muscle spasm. Improper use of air conditioning and high temperature differences cause inflammation of muscle tissue.
Subluxation of the vertebrae
In case of mechanical damage, the vertebrae are displaced towards the underlying one. As a rule, this phenomenon is observed in case of serious injuries during car accidents. Subluxations are accompanied by damage to the ligamentous apparatus, muscle tension and infringement of 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 vertebra, 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 clamped and the necessary nutrition of important brain structures does not occur.
The following factors can serve as causes of osteochondrosis:
- impaired 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, which 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 drowsiness.
Possible complications
Even minor pain can 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 stabbing pains, and disruption of the brain.
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 time, diseases such as cerebral ischemia and stroke may occur. Over time, they can be fatal.
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 of the vertebrae, a CT (computed tomography) is prescribed, which is based on X-rays. X-rays are fixed on all tissues of the body and are displayed differently on the monitor screen. The specialist receives several dozen images layered with a three-dimensional image of the bone structures of the spine.
The method has its contraindications. During pregnancy and lactation, it is better to opt for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 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 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 various etiologies, a lumbar puncture is prescribed. This method is widely used in neurology. During the procedure, the patient receives spinal anesthesia or spinal anesthesia where the patient is injected with an anesthetic into the subarachnoid space. The injection is made as close as possible to the roots of the spinal nerves.
Medical treatment
When symptoms first appear, most people fix the problem with anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers. 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 that tone down muscle tissue and relieve tension;
- Anesthetic and anti-inflammatory ointments with local action.
The doctor can prescribe tablets and ampoules, which have an immediate effect. As a complex therapy, ointments or gels that relieve swelling and chondroprotectors are prescribed. This group of drugs restores the joints and has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Physiotherapy procedures
In addition to drug treatment, the patient is 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 need to consult a doctor who will prescribe therapeutic courses. In some cases, stretching exercises can cause deterioration, so physiotherapy alone is not recommended.
Another method of treatment 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 the hands effectively help to improve blood flow and relieve pain. A deep effect on the back muscles allows you to eliminate tension and swelling.
Some specialists prescribe electrophoresis to the patient. This method is based on constant electric shocks that are applied to the diseased areas of the body. The method has the following advantages: reduction of the inflammatory process in the muscles of the back and neck, elimination of edema and pain, decreased muscle tone, improvement of blood supply to the tissues of the back. The therapeutic effect is observed after the first procedure.