The neck is made up of vertebrae that run from the skull to the top of the torso. Cervical discs absorb shock between bones. Bones, ligaments and muscles support the head and allow it to move. If there are any disorders, abnormalities, inflammation or injuries, then this can cause pain or stiffness of the collar zone. At such moments, it is difficult to immediately determine what the neck hurts from and take any action.
Many people sometimes experience discomfort or stiffness in this area, which is most often caused by poor posture or excessive loads. In most cases, neck pain is not a serious problem and can be resolved within a few days. However, in some cases, such a symptom may indicate a serious illness and should be consulted by a doctor.
This article will help you figure out why the neck hurts on the right side, as well as in other places. A classification of types of pain and its most common causes will also be given. Consider how you can get rid of discomfort in this part of the spine.
Types of pain in the cervical region
In order to prescribe an effective treatment, the specialist must accurately determine the symptoms and causes of the pathology. Doctors classify neck pain as follows:
- cervicago - backache;
- cervicalgia.
The latter type implies pain arising from damage to the vertebrae or cervical muscles. Cervicalgia, in turn, can be subdivided into pain:
- associated with skin lesions (superficial somatic);
- associated with muscle or vertebral injuries (deep somatic);
- associated with the appearance of an infection in the body or a malfunction of the internal organs (visceral).
Cervicalgia, capturing nearby areas, is subdivided:
- on cervicobrachialgia (pain goes from the neck to the shoulders);
- on cervicocranialgia (pain comes from the neck (through the back of the head) to the head).
Speaking of cervical, it is worth noting that this pain is always acute, it limits the mobility of the neck. Appears abruptly and torments a person for a certain time so that it is impossible for him to think about anything else.
In order to determine why the neck hurts, it is extremely important for the doctor to establish its nature and describe it using the listed classification.
Common Causes
Based on medical statistics, most often people who seek medical help for neck pain are diagnosed witha number of 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 be caused not only by the presence of a person's disease. The appearance of discomfort can also be caused by muscle tension or stretching (due to long sitting at the computer, while driving a car, lifting weights, uncomfortable posture during sleep or playing sports). In addition, discomfort can also appear due to the fact that a person has a headache closer to the neck.
Why is this happening and what is the root cause? Only a specialist can answer this question. Sometimes people, trying to get rid of unpleasant sensations, take up self-treatment - massage, taking antibiotics, painkillers and other medicines. However, the consequences of such actions may not be the most favorable.
You should understand what the diseases and conditions listed above are and why they can be dangerous, and why you cannot treat them yourself.
Cervical osteochondrosis
The appearance of this pathology in humans is associated with anatomical specifics. The size of the cervical vertebrae is much smaller than the bone structures of other segments of the spine. The neck is constantly under tension, and this is due to the fact that its main functions are to support the head and provide itmobility. If a person wonders why the back of the neck hurts, then he needs to consult if he has osteochondrosis of this part of the spine.
Symptomatic of this disease may be as follows:
- Pain from neck to shoulder radiating to outer surface of shoulder, forearm and hands.
- Penetrating pain in the neck or back of the head (especially worse in the morning, head movement, coughing, etc.).
- Headache (paroxysmal or persistent, dull, impulsive, aggravated by turning the head), dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears.
- Pain in the chest area.
- There is a violation of the blood flow of the cerebral arteries, which sometimes leads to a temporary loss of consciousness. With a deterioration in well-being, speech and motor function disorders are possible.
Treating this disease on your own is not worth it, since the consequences of such actions can be far from joyful. But turning to professionals, a person can be sure that the therapy will be of high quality and effective.
As a rule, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis may include the use of various anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, gels and restorative ointments, physiotherapy and recreational exercises. A variety of medicated patches and more can be used.
Osteoporosis
This is a disease of the bones that occurs when they lose their density. As a result, they become weak and can break when dropped or slightly bumped. This is the most common diseaseamong menopausal women, but habits such as smoking, heavy drinking, and poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle also increase the risk.
For many people, such a diagnosis can be the answer to the question of why the back of the neck hurts and at the same time gives to the arms and shoulders.
Doctors distinguish three stages of this disease. The first stage assumes that a person begins to experience such changes in the cervical region as a decrease in the density of the vertebrae, slight cramps, weakness and pain occur. In the second stage, constant headaches appear, pressure can drop sharply and rise above normal, numbness in the hands and general weakness appear. The third stage (the most difficult) suggests that a person has severe deformities in the vertebrae, a hump may appear in the collar zone, and headaches and neck pains become constant companions.
Treatment of osteoporosis is aimed at slowing down or preventing its development, maintaining bone mineral density, and reducing pain. This is achieved through the use of supplements and medicines, as well as a person's review of his lifestyle in favor of light but constant exercise (walking, playing sports, etc.), proper nutrition, etc.
Muscle spasm
Why does my neck hurt on the left side? Spasm may be the cause. It occurs not only on the left, it can affect the right and back of the neck. It occurs due to involuntary muscle contraction as a result of strong tension. The situation is oftencauses severe pain that lasts from minutes to days.
When wondering why the neck muscles hurt, a person should think about how he sleeps, works, sits. Often spasms occur due to a violation of the natural position of the body, carrying weights on the shoulders, including bags, slouching and other conditions (including serious diseases).
Painkillers in this case can help reduce neck pain, relieve muscle tension, reduce inflammation. However, they must be taken following the attached instructions and with the knowledge of the doctor. If there is no certainty that the pain in the neck is caused by a spasm, you should not drink any medication before consulting with a specialist. In this case, you can apply an ice pack (wrapped in a towel) to your neck to relieve pain for a while.
It is always worth remembering that it is very difficult to independently determine what causes the neck to hurt. If the discomfort does not go away or gets worse, then this can be a very serious reason to go to the doctor.
Herniated disc
This element is a strong ligament that connects one vertebral bone to another. Discs are shock-absorbing cushions between each column vertebrae. A hernia in the cervical region can occur when too much pressure is applied to even a he althy disc (carrying heavy loads, falling from a height, etc.).
Symptoms of this condition typically include severe pain that may radiate to one or both arms or legs, as well as numbness or tingling in the extremities,muscle weakness and loss of sensation. Initially, a person may not understand why the neck hurts when turning, tilting or other habitual movements. However, over time, the discomfort becomes unbearable. Some people may not have neck or back pain with a herniated disc. Where symptoms appear depends on where the pathology is located.
Treatment for a herniated disc depends on the severity of the disease and the visible damage. Most often, the condition of people improves within six weeks after the initial visit to the doctor. In many cases, medical treatment and high-quality physiotherapy are sufficient. Therapy may include medications to control pain, reduce muscle spasm.
Inflammation of the lymph nodes
Usually, such pathologies occur as a result of exposure to bacteria or viruses. When these changes occur in the body, it becomes not difficult to understand why the neck hurts on the left or right, since it is in these areas that the lymph nodes are located. They may swell in response to an upper respiratory infection, such as a cold. Associated symptoms that may be present along with swelling are cough, fatigue, chills, runny nose, profuse sweating.
What does the neck hurt with inflammation of the lymph nodes? The answer is simple: the pathological process affects the nerve endings, which send pain signals.
Treatment for this condition usually involves identifying its nature (virus, infection, bacteria, tumor, andetc.). Then the doctor prescribes drugs to treat the underlying cause, which has a beneficial effect on the removal of the inflammatory process.
Various systemic disorders in the body
Sometimes people may not understand why the neck and head hurt, from what these sensations go to the back or arms. Often this condition can be caused by some systemic disorders in the body. These include various tumors, depression, arthritis, infectious processes, meningitis, internal hemorrhages and other serious pathologies.
Pain in the cervical region can also occur when the body does not receive certain nutrients (vitamins, micro- and macronutrients) in the right amount.
Why the neck hurts in front, behind, or muscle discomfort and headaches are felt, only the doctor will answer based on the results of tests and additional studies. The root cause may be due to the poor condition of other organs, and not just the collar zone.
Diagnosis
The first thing to do in order to establish the cause that causes pain in the neck, visit a therapist. He will appoint the necessary consultation with other specialists and determine the need for the implementation of technological diagnostic methods.
The specialist will explain why the neck hurts on the right side, on the left, or in another part of it. He will collect a complete history and determine what disorders in the body are currently occurring.
During the examination, a person may bethe following diagnostic methods are assigned:
- MRI;
- CT;
- ECG;
- Ultrasound.
MRI can help determine the condition of tissues, CT can help identify pathologies in the cervical vertebrae, ultrasound is necessary to study the arterial ring, blood vessels and nearby tissues, and ECG so that the doctor can rule out various heart pathologies.
In addition, one of the mandatory tests is the study of the patient's blood, which will help determine whether inflammatory or infectious processes are taking place in the body.
What to do?
Every person in pain wants to get rid of it as soon as possible. For neck discomfort, the following actions can help:
- Apply ice to the affected area (initially wrapped in a towel).
- If mild pain is caused by overexertion, you should give up heavy physical exercises for a while and give your neck muscles time to rest.
- Need to do light neck exercises (slow bends and turns) throughout the day.
- You should control your posture so as not to aggravate the situation with additional stress on the muscles and vertebrae.
If the pain does not go away within a day or two, you should seek help from a doctor who will determine why the neck hurts. If symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, high fever, numbness or tingling, swelling, nausea, inability to move the head or limbs are added to this, then you should immediately callan ambulance team or come to an appointment with a specialist on your own.
Prevention
In order not to wonder why the neck hurts closer to the head, in other places or muscle spasms occur, it is important to monitor your he alth and follow a number of the following recommendations:
- Sleep only on comfortable pillows that would allow the cervical region to relax during rest. To avoid problems with the neck and back, it is best to purchase an orthopedic pillow.
- The best position for a comfortable rest of the entire spine is lying on your back. You should train yourself to fall asleep in this position.
- you need to choose the right chair height and monitor position when working at the computer.
- Don't chat, play games or read on mobile devices for long periods of time. This creates an excessive load on the neck (most often, with such an activity, the head is lowered down, which causes disturbances in the work of this part of the spine).
- It is important to pay attention and find time for exercise, outdoor activities and sports.
- You should adjust your diet and diet. It is very important that the body receives the necessary amount of nutrients throughout the day.
- It is best to give up bad habits (overeating, smoking, drinking alcohol and drugs).
Conclusion
Having considered the main reasons why the neck hurts, we can conclude that it is unlikely that it will be possible to establish and fix the problem on your own. Therefore, it is important not to delay. Need it right awaysee a specialist, even if neck pain can be tolerated. It is worth remembering that even slight discomfort may indicate disturbances in the functioning of the body.
