Neck muscle pain

Pain in the neck muscles, or cervicalgia, is localized exclusively in the cervical region and does not radiate to other parts of the body, and occurs due to damage to the cervical spine or muscles in this area.

If pain in the neck muscles radiates to the arm, most likely there is a disease such as cervicobrachialgia - the gelatinous nucleus of the intervertebral disc loses elasticity and gradually disintegrates into separate fragments. Pain in the neck muscles, radiating to the forehead, temples, shoulders, arms, can be a sign of cervicocranialgia. Increases with palpation of the cervical-occipital muscle fibers.

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The main causes of pain in the neck muscles

• hypothermia
• uncomfortable sleeping position
• staying in the same position for a long time, for example, when working at a monitor
• overload of muscle fibers during sports training or when lifting weights
• cervical spine trauma
• tumor or infectious processes in the tissues of the spine.

The main symptom is pain sensations, accompanied by tingling, pulsation, shooting pains. When coughing or the slightest attempts to strain, the pain increases, and may be accompanied by a sensation of noise in the ears, dizziness, limited mobility of the cervical spine, pain in the occipital region, numbness of the upper limbs.

How to recognize pain in the neck muscles?

• X-ray examination of the cervical spine.
• X-ray contrast examination of the spinal cord (myelography).
• Methods of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
• Electromyography is a hardware research method that determines the degree of conductivity of nerve endings and electrical activity.
• Analysis of the conditions under which pain sensations first arose.
• Electroneurography – this method is used to determine the speed of electrical impulse conduction along the nerves.

How to treat neck muscle pain?

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – tablets, ointments, intramuscular injections (diclofenac, finalgon, finalgel, fastumgel, apizartron, movalis, revmoxicam, etc.)
• Muscle relaxants. It may be advisable, for example, to use the drug Mydocalm, which reduces myohypertonicity. The daily dose of the drug for adults is 150-450 mg, divided into three doses. Intramuscular injections are prescribed twice a day (100 mg), and intravenous injections - once a day (100 mg).
• Local injections of anesthetics – novocaine, lidocaine (if the paravertebral muscle bundles are very tense).
• Wearing a special cervical collar during the treatment period (from one to three weeks). Such a collar can only be selected by a doctor.
• Traction, or stretching. The mechanism of action consists of increasing the diameter of the intervertebral segments, as a result of which the swelling and pressure of the nerve roots and nearby tissues are neutralized. As a result of traction therapy, the tension of ligaments and tendons, excessive excitability of the CNS departments, formed due to impulses coming from the muscular-articular apparatus of the spine, are reduced.

Therapeutic gymnastics

For moderate pain, not accompanied by additional symptoms, you can do the following simple exercises, for which you need to:

1. Lie on your stomach, put your head on the side, inhale, press your cheek on the surface of the bed, exhale.
2. Take a sitting position, put your hands on the back of your head, inhale, hold your breath, press your hands tightly to the back of your head, exhale, tilt your head down slightly. Repeat three to four times.
3. In a sitting position, place your palms on your forehead, inhale, press your palms to your forehead, exhale and relax.
   • Physiotherapeutic methods involve the use of local thermal procedures (mud baths, compresses), massage procedures (massage is contraindicated in the acute stage), and posture correction.
   • Using an orthopedic pillow.

If you experience pain in your neck muscles, consult a traumatologist or neurologist.