Despite the vulnerability and fragility, the cervical spine is responsible for vital functions. In addition, it contains the most important structures and consists of 7 vertebrae, characterized by increased mobility. This, combined with the great pressure exerted by the weight of the head on the fragile cervical vertebrae, creates the prerequisites for the occurrence of various ailments of the spine and the appearance of pain in the neck and back.
Pain in the cervical region makes a person feel not the most pleasant sensations. The cervical muscles are responsible for the movement of the head and are activated during its rotation, when we lower it to look under the legs while walking or turn to look back. Consequently, the appearance of even minor pain in the cervical spine affects the vital activity and performance of a person.
Causes of pain
Among the most common causes that provoke the appearance of pain in the cervical region, the following should be noted:
• muscle spasm;
• cervical osteochondrosis;
• hernia of the intervertebral disc;
• inflammation of the lymph nodes;
• systemic disorders in the body.
At least once in a lifetime, every person has experienced muscle spasm. In fact, this is the result of overstrain of the cervical muscles. Such muscle strain can be caused by excessive static or dynamic loads. Thus, even if a person does not experience physical exertion, a manifestation of overvoltage is possible if you stay in a constant position for a long time. Muscle spasm passes quickly, but if pain continues to be felt for more than 10 minutes, then you need to seek help from a specialist – an orthopedic surgeon.
According to doctors, osteochondrosis is one of the most common causes of pain in the neck. The main symptom of the disease is a sharp pain, which exacerbation occurs when moving. Due to acute pain, a person tries to move his head as little as possible and fix his position, and a crunch may appear during turns. In patients suffering from cervical osteochondrosis due to the fact that the spinal root is compressed by the intervertebral discs, the radicular syndrome may appear, and it is accompanied by tingling, the shoulder area, arm and even the front side of the chest are numb.
Characteristic weakness, a sensation of inflammation in the muscles, numbness of the cervical spine are symptoms of a herniated disc. Intervertebral hernia is a rupture of the spinal disc due to the uneven load exerted on the vertebrae. Due to damage, the hernia puts pressure on the nerve root, causing severe pain. The consequences of the lack of treatment can be serious health problems, therefore, if symptoms occur, you should immediately consult a specialist for advice.
If pain is experienced in the anterior and lateral sections, this indicates inflammation of the lymph nodes. Then symptoms such as fever, enlarged lymph nodes, headache, general weakness are connected to pain in the neck. If these symptoms appear, you should immediately contact a specialist to provide qualified assistance.
In addition, pain in the neck can appear in the presence of a tumor, an infectious disease or other systematic disorders. In particular, pain in the cervical region is inherent in various types of acute thyroiditis, angina pectoris, ischemic heart disease, and even depression. Since the symptoms are quite extensive, only a specialist can make a correct diagnosis after a full medical examination.