Back and neck pain occurs periodically in all people. This may be due to recent physical activity, a sedentary lifestyle, or the presence of severe spinal pathologies.
To find out the cause of pain and possible complications of diseases, you must 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 lower back 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 feels pain during movement of 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 pathologies of the spine are:
- numbness of the shoulder joint and neck muscles;
- periodic pain sensations in the upper back;
- muscle tension;
- clicking and characteristic sounds of joints;
- restriction in the free movement of the shoulder that occurs after sleep;
- tingling sensation in soft tissues;
- sharp shot from different sides of the back;
- discomfort around the ligaments and neck.
When these symptoms occur, the person starts to think about why the back and neck might hurt and what needs to be done to get rid of the discomfort. In such cases, you must know the underlying causes and proceed with therapy in time.
Causes
Unpleasant sensations in the back and neck region 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. Computed tomography and MRI are often prescribed, which visualize even small structural changes. The first technique is suitable for examining bone formations in the spine, and MRI allows you to find out why muscles and soft tissues hurt.
muscle spasms
The main reason why back sags is considered muscle spasms. They can occur over time, after a minor spasm turns into severe muscle tension. The following factors could be the reason:
- prolonged stay in uncomfortable positions;
- incorrect 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 of air can be the cause of muscle spasm. Improper use of air conditioning and high temperature differences lead to inflammation of muscle tissue.
subluxation of vertebrae
In case of mechanical damage, the vertebrae are displaced to the underlying. As a rule, this phenomenon is observed in case of serious injuries during car accidents. Subluxations are accompanied by damage to the ligament apparatus, muscle strain and violation of the joint capsule. The doctor can recognize the pathology by the intense pain during palpation, when turning the head and moving the neck.
Subluxations are treated by surgeons and traumatologists. A person can adjust the vertebra independently, but only after highly qualified consultation with a specialist. In mild cases of pathology, immobilization with a collar of Shants is prescribed for a month.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Another cause of neck pain 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 great load on the vertebrae. As a result, the vertebral artery is pinched and the necessary nutrition to 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 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 brain nutrition causes dizziness, weakness and constant sleepiness.
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 occurrence of severe throbbing pains and rupture 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 can occur. Over time, they can be fatal.
Pathology diagnosis
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 to all tissues in the body and are displayed differently on the monitor screen. The specialist receives several dozen layered images with a three-dimensional image of the bony structures of the spine.
The method has its contraindications. During pregnancy and lactation, it is best to opt for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which uses electromagnetic waves to detect degenerative diseases and soft tissue pathologies. Modern CT scanners allow you to obtain high quality images of all parts of the back within minutes and find out why the back and neck hurts.
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 when the patient is injected with an anesthetic into the subarachnoid space. The injection is made as close to the spinal nerve roots as possible.
Medical treatment
When the first symptoms occur, most people resolve the problem with anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers. For the onset of a therapeutic effect, the following drugs are used:
- Analgesics with pronounced analgesic effect based on sodium metamizole or nalbuphine;
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that act directly on the focus of inflammation and effectively relieve swelling;
- Muscle relaxants that decrease muscle tissue tone and relieve tension;
- Anesthetic and anti-inflammatory ointments of local action.
The doctor may prescribe pills and ampoules, which take effect immediately. As a complex therapy, ointments or gels are prescribed, which relieve swelling and chondroprotectors. This group of drugs restores 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. In order to choose the correct gymnastic exercises and procedures, you need to consult a doctor who will prescribe therapeutic courses. In some cases, stretching exercises can lead to deterioration, 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 spine. Such manipulations with the help of the hands effectively help to improve blood flow and relieve pain. A profound effect on the back muscles allows you to remove tension and swelling.
Some specialists 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, decreased muscle tone, improved blood supply to the tissues of the back. The therapeutic effect is observed after the first procedure.