Symptom of pain in the neck, head, and arm

Symptom of pain in the neck, back of the head and arm, cervical osteochondrosis

Most people in their life are faced with the problem of neck pain. Most often, these pains occur in the muscles of the neck. The neck muscles (trapezius, scapula levator, scalene muscle), in addition to moving the neck and holding the head, also participate in the work when the arms are moved.

A widespread situation is when acute pains in the neck appear more often in the morning (after sleeping in an uncomfortable position) or with a sudden movement of the head. These pains are exclusively muscular and can radiate to the back of the head, forehead, eye, ear, or shoulder with a pulling sensation or burning sensation in the area of the scapula (or under it). In the event of pain in the muscles of the neck, errors are often made by both the patients themselves and their attending physicians during the diagnosis process.

A patient with acute muscle pain in the neck begins, either alone or with the help of a doctor, to undergo hardware diagnostics: X-ray of the cervical spine, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). As a result, in addition to financial costs, the patient also receives unreasonably radiation exposure to his body.

When natural age-related changes or peculiarities in the structures of the spine (osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, straightening of cervical lordosis, spondylosis, uncovertebral arthrosis, protrusion, or herniation of the intervertebral disc) are found on the images and tomograms of such a patient, there is a deviation from understanding the essence of what is happening process. Unfortunately, after that, in the overwhelming majority of cases, doctors skip and do not carry out further elementary diagnostics of the biomechanics of the cervical spine. The changes in the spine detected by the apparatus become more significant in clinical diagnosis than clinical data (tone and strength of the neck muscles, range of motion of the cervical spine).

With muscle pain in the neck (acute, burning, or pulling), the patient just needs to undergo a clinical examination by a specialist, after which adequate medical assistance will be provided to relieve the pain symptom. After examination by a neuropathologist or neurosurgeon in the clinic, the patient:

• receives an accurate clinical diagnosis
• avoids unreasonable diagnostic methods and the accompanying financial and time costs
• avoids unnecessary radiation exposure
• receives adequate pain management
• receives further treatment recommendations for rehabilitation after pain relief

Pain in the neck, in the back of the head, and in the hand can provoke an injured or inflamed intervertebral (facet) joint (with its arthrosis). The neck can also hurt after a long stay in one position (sedentary work, watching TV while lying down, etc.), or after a whiplash mechanism of a neck injury. The appearance of a symptom of pain in the neck is facilitated by age-related osteochondrosis or spondylosis of the cervical spine, tense and overloaded neck muscles, etc.

With radicular pain in the neck (cervical radiculopathy), the nerve may experience compression from the shells of the facet joint, hypertrophied ligaments of the spinal canal, displaced vertebrae, protrusion, or disc herniation. Cervical radiculopathy will manifest itself as a sensation of pain of the type of electric shock in the arm, scapula, in the occipital region, in the temple, etc.

The symptom of neck pain with a sprain of the ligaments of the cervical spine is comparable to a boring toothache. When the neck hurts due to injury to the ligaments and muscles, the patient cannot find a comfortable sleeping position, it is difficult to turn his head. Without specialized help, pain in the neck, back of the head, or head can last for several weeks unabated.

Muscle and radicular types of neck pain are usually well eliminated by physiotherapy, cervical spine traction (Glisson loop, hand traction during manual therapy sessions), drug therapy (anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, etc.).

Neck and occiput pain can also be caused by spinal epiduritis, which rapidly develops in the patient's spinal cord being compressed by infected epidural fat.

 

Дегенерация дисков и позвонков

Daily stress can cause neck pain. With age, our vertebrae and intervertebral discs wear out and degenerate. As a result, some experience chronic or persistent neck pain. This is part of the natural aging process.

Some of us degenerate discs and vertebrae faster than others. This could be due to the kind of work we do, our lifestyle, posture, and genetic factors. As we get older, the height of the intervertebral discs decreases, which increases the stress and wear on the intervertebral joints. The result of this process can be narrowing of the spinal canal or nerve damage. In most cases, pain resulting from degeneration can be relieved without surgery with physical therapy.

 

Неправильное положение во время сна

Your sleeping position, the number of pillows you use, and the firmness of your mattress can all affect how you feel when you wake up in the morning. A wrong sleeping position is the main cause of neck pain. Sleep is something that many people do not pay much attention to, but it has a huge impact on the occurrence of neck pain. It is very important to have a good sleeping position as well as a good bed and pillows. For example, a worn pillow will keep your neck tilted, which can cause muscle tension. In many cases, patients with neck pain are advised to sleep on their side so that their neck is in a neutral position. This usually helps.

 

Плохая осанка и сутулость

In many cases, neck pain is the result of poor posture while sitting or walking. It can also be the result of constant use of a smartphone, tablet, and prolonged sitting in front of a low computer screen. This is what we all face daily. And this also applies to doctors. Poor posture significantly affects the occurrence of spinal diseases and can aggravate any pre-existing complaints and symptoms. Patients with poor posture experience pulling pain in the muscles of the neck and between the shoulder blades. Most often it will be a burning sensation at the base of the neck. The best way to deal with this type of pain is to work on improving your posture. Poor posture can be more serious when the patient begins to experience weakness in the arms and legs or numbness and tingling in the hands. Another symptom that indicates a more serious impairment is decreased manual dexterity.

 

Стресс и тревожность

Daily stress can lead to muscle contraction in the shoulders and neck, and pain can result from over-straining them. Psychological factors have a big impact on how we perceive pain. Stressful situations also force us to focus more on pain, which intensifies it. While this is easier said than done, stress management is extremely important in relieving neck pain. Therefore, try to overcome stress by increasing your physical activity. We are all different, but finding some strategy for coping with stress is really important.

 

Острая кривошея или тортиколлис

Torticollis is a condition in which the head becomes tilted to one side. The attempt to straighten the head from this position is accompanied by pain. Although the cause of torticollis is not always known, doctors suspect that in most cases it is caused by minor sprains of the ligaments or muscles in the neck. Exposure of the neck to cold temperatures for an extended period can also be the cause. This muscle tension causes pain and also puts the head in a position where the nerve roots are taut and potentially damaged. Acute torticollis occurs in a large part of the population.

 

Травма плечевого сплетения

The brachial plexus is a collection of nerves at the cervical level that connects the spinal cord to the arms. If these nerves are damaged, it can cause neck pain. Conversely, if a neck injury affects the brachial plexus, pain may also occur in the arm. Brachial plexus injury manifests itself in a variety of motor and sensory disorders. Light injuries to the brachial plexus resulting from traffic accidents and falls can heal quickly. In most cases, the plexus injury is stretching and heals on its own. However, in more severe cases of injury (complete separation of the roots), reconstructive surgery of the brachial plexus should be performed.

 

Хлыстовая травма шеи

With a whiplash injury of the neck, the head shifts sharply relative to the body in the anteroposterior direction, and then very quickly returns. In many cases, recovery from a whiplash injury occurs on its own. A sharp jolt can lead to deformity, which damages the muscles and ligaments in the neck. With the help of manipulations on the neck, damaged tissue can be restored. Severe whiplash injury can result in a fracture of the cervical spine or damage to the spinal cord and nerves. If your neck pain continues to worsen following an accident or sports injury, it is recommended that you seek the advice of a spine specialist.

 

Шейная радикулопатия

Cervical radiculopathy ("pinched nerve"), when the nerves in the cervical level of the spinal cord are damaged, causes pain that radiates down the arm. Cervical radiculopathy is a lesion of the nerve roots of the cervical spinal cord. Nerve roots can be pinched as they travel down or out of the spinal canal. This can manifest as a lumbago pain with numbness or weakness in the arm. The location of this numbness on the arm helps the doctor determine which nerve is affected.