The neck consists of vertebrae extending from the skull to the upper torso. Cervical discs absorb the effects 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 is causing the pain in the neck and take any action.
Many people sometimes feel uncomfortable or stiff due to poor posture or excessive force in this situation. In most cases, neck pain is not a serious condition and can be resolved within a few days. However, in some cases, such a symptom may indicate a serious illness and require medical attention.
This article will help you understand why your neck hurts on the right side, as elsewhere. It will also provide a classification of the types of pain and the most common causes. Think about how you can get rid of the discomfort in this part of the spine.
Types of pain in the cervical region
To prescribe an effective treatment, a specialist must accurately determine the symptoms and causes of the pathology. Doctors classify neck pain as follows:
- cervicago - lumbago;
- cervical.
The second type involves pain caused by damage to the vertebrae or cervical muscles. Cervical, in turn, can be divided into pain:
- associated with skin lesions (superficial somatic);
- associated with muscle or vertebral injury (deep somatic);
- is associated with the appearance of an infection in the body or dysfunction of internal organs (visceral).
Cervical cancer affecting adjacent areas is divided into:
- for cervicobrachialgia (pain goes from the neck to the shoulders);
- cervicocranialgia (pain extends from the neck (back of the head)).
Speaking of the cervix, it should be noted that this pain is always sharp, limiting the mobility of the neck. It appears suddenly and torments a person for a while so that he cannot think of anything else.
It is extremely important for the doctor to establish the nature of the pain in the neck and describe it using the listed classifications.
Common Causes
According to medical statistics, people seeking medical help for neck pain are diagnosed with the following diseases and conditions:
- cervical osteochondrosis;
- osteoporosis;
- muscle spasm;
- herniated disc;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes;
- systemic disorders in the body (infectious processes, tumors, problems with the immune system).
However, pain can only be due to a person's illness. The appearance of discomfort can also be caused by muscle tension or stretching (sitting at a computer for long periods of time, driving a car, lifting weights, restless posture while sleeping or exercising). In addition, a person may experience discomfort due to a headache near the neck.
Why does this happen and what is the main reason? Only a specialist can answer this question. Sometimes people who are trying to get rid of anxiety take medication on their own - massage, antibiotics, painkillers and other medications. However, the consequences of such actions may not be the most favorable.
You need to understand what the diseases and conditions listed above are and how dangerous they can be, and why you cannot treat them yourself.
Cervical osteochondrosis
The appearance of this pathology in humans is due to anatomical features. The size of the cervical vertebrae is much smaller than the bone structures of other segments of the spine. The neck is constantly under stress, and this is due to the fact that its main functions are to support the head and provide mobility. If a person asks why his neck hurts from the back, he should consult if he has osteochondrosis in this part of the spine.
The symptoms of this disease can be as follows.
- Pain from the neck to the shoulder extending to the outer surface of the shoulder, forearm and hands.
- Pain that penetrates the neck or occipital region (especially worse in the morning, head movements, cough, etc. ).
- Headache (paroxysmal or persistent, dull, impulsive, aggravated by turning his head), dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears.
- Chest muscle pain.
- There is a violation of blood flow to the cerebral vessels, which sometimes leads to temporary loss of consciousness. With deteriorating health, speech and motor functions may be impaired.
It is not worth treating the disease yourself, because the consequences of such actions can be far from happy. However, by consulting specialists, a person can be sure that the treatment will be of high quality and effective.
Typically, treatment for cervical osteochondrosis may include the use of various anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications, gels and restorative ointments, physiotherapy, and health exercises. Various drug patches, etc.
Osteoporosis
It is a bone disease that occurs when the bones lose their density. As a result, they weaken and can break when dropped or in small blows. Menopause is most common in women, but habits such as smoking, heavy drinking, poor nutrition and sedentary behavior increase the risk of developing it.
For many people, making such a diagnosis may be the answer to the question of why the neck hurts from the back and at the same time gives the arms and shoulders.
Doctors distinguish three stages of the disease. The first stage is when a person begins to experience such changes in the cervical spine as a decrease in vertebral density, mild cramps, weakness and pain. In the second stage, a constant headache appears, the pressure may drop sharply and rise above normal, numbness and general weakness appear in the hands. The third stage (the most difficult) is that a person experiences severe deformities in the vertebrae, a bump may form in the neck, and headaches and neck pains become constant companions.
Treatment of osteoporosis aims to slow or prevent its development, maintain bone mineral density, and reduce pain. This is achieved by reconsidering the use of supplements and medications, as well as a person's lifestyle in terms of light but constant loads (walks, sports), proper nutrition.
Muscle spasm
Why does the neck on the left side hurt? The cause may be spasm. It can affect not only the left, but also the right and back of the neck. This is due to the involuntary contraction of the muscles as a result of intense tension. The condition often causes severe pain that lasts from a few minutes to several days.
When asked why the neck muscles ache, a person should think about how he sleeps, how he works, and how he sits. Often, spasms occur due to a violation of the body's natural position, the transfer of weight to the shoulders, including bags, bent shoulders and other diseases (including serious illnesses).
Painkillers can then help relieve neck pain, muscle tension and reduce inflammation. However, it should be taken in accordance with additional instructions and with the knowledge of a physician. If you are not sure if neck pain is caused by spasms, you should not take any medication before consulting a specialist. In this case, you can pull an ice pack (wrapped in a towel) around your neck to temporarily relieve the pain.
It is worth remembering that it is very difficult to independently determine the pain in your neck. If the discomfort persists or worsens, this may be a very serious reason to see a doctor.
Herniated disc
This element is a strong bond that connects one vertebral bone to another. The discs are the cushion pads between each vertebra of the column. A hernia in the cervical spine can occur even when too much pressure is placed on a healthy disc (carrying a heavy load, falling from a height).
Symptoms of this condition are usually severe pain that can spread to one or both arms or legs, numbness or tingling in the extremities, muscle weakness, and loss of sensation. At first, a person may not be able to understand why his neck hurts when he turns, bends, or does other normal movements. But over time, the anxiety becomes unbearable. Some people may not have neck and back pain with a herniated disc. The location of the symptoms depends on the exact location of the pathology.
Treatment of a herniated disc depends on the severity of the disease and the apparent injury. Often, people's condition improves six weeks after their first visit to the doctor. In most cases, medication and quality physical therapy are sufficient. In therapy, medications can be used to manage pain and reduce muscle spasms.
Inflammation of the lymph nodes
Typically, such pathologies are caused by exposure to bacteria or viruses. When these changes occur in the body, it will not be difficult to understand why the neck hurts on the left or right, because the lymph nodes are located in these areas. They may swell in response to an upper respiratory tract infection, such as a cold. Possible symptoms associated with edema are cough, fatigue, chills, runny nose, excessive sweating.
What causes pain in the neck with inflammation of the lymph nodes? The answer is simple: the pathological process affects the nerve endings that send pain signals.
Treatment of such a condition usually involves determining its nature (virus, infection, bacteria, tumor). The doctor then prescribes drugs to treat the root cause, which has a beneficial effect on the elimination of the inflammatory process.
Various systemic diseases of the body
Sometimes people do not understand why the neck and head hurt, these feelings go to the back or arms. This condition can often be caused by certain systemic diseases 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 necessary amount of some nutrients (vitamins, micro and macronutrients).
Why the neck hurts in the front, back or feel muscle discomfort and headaches, only a doctor will answer according to the results of tests and additional studies. The root cause may be not only the neck area, but also other organs in poor condition.
Diagnostics
The first thing to do to determine the cause of neck pain is to visit a therapist. He will make the necessary consultations with other specialists and determine the need for technological diagnostic methods.
The specialist will explain why your neck hurts on the right side, left side or any other part. It will collect a complete history and determine what disorders are currently in the body.
The following diagnostic methods can be prescribed to a person during the examination:
- MRT;
- CT;
- ECG;
- Ultrasound.
MRI can help determine the condition of the tissues, CT scan - a doctor can rule out various heart pathologies to study the arterial ring, veins and nearby tissues and ECG to identify pathologies in the cervical vertebrae.
In addition, one of the mandatory tests is the study of the patient's blood, which will help to determine whether inflammatory or infectious processes in the body.
What to do?
Everyone who suffers wants to get rid of it as soon as possible. The following can help with neck discomfort:
- Apply ice to the painful area (first wrap with a towel).
- If the mild pain is caused by excessive force, you should temporarily stop heavy physical exercise and relax your neck muscles.
- You need to do light neck exercises (slow bends and turns) during the day.
- You need to control the situation so as not to aggravate it with additional loads on the muscles and spine.
If the pain persists for a day or two, you should seek help from a doctor who will determine the cause of the neck pain. If symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, fever, numbness or tingling, swelling, nausea, or inability to move your head or limbs are added, you should call an ambulance immediately or see a specialist on your own.
Prophylaxis
It is important to monitor your health and follow a number of tips to avoid thinking about why your neck is approaching the end, elsewhere, or muscle spasms:
- It is necessary to sleep on comfortable pillows that allow the cervical spine to relax during rest. It is best to buy an orthopedic pillow to prevent neck and back problems.
- The best position for the whole spine to relax is to lie on your back. In this case, you need to teach yourself to go to sleep.
- You must select the correct seat height and monitor position when working on the computer.
- It is not worth writing, playing games and reading on mobile devices for a long time. This creates an excessive load on the neck (often during this activity the head is lowered, which leads to disturbances in the work of this part of the spine).
- It is important to take time to exercise, walk in the fresh air and exercise.
- You need to adjust your diet and diet. It is very important for the body to get the amount of food it needs during the day.
- It is better to give up bad habits (overeating, smoking, drinking alcohol and drugs).
The result
Considering the main causes of neck pain, we can conclude that it is impossible to fix the problem yourself. Therefore, it is important not to hesitate. Even if you suffer from neck pain, you should consult a specialist immediately. It is important to remember that even the slightest discomfort can indicate a malfunction of the body.