Cervicalgia: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment

Cervicalgia, as neck pain is called, is one of the most common conditions these days. Forced postures of the spine and the lack of incorporation of habits that reinforce postural hygiene can make the pain worse or intensify. If the pain does not disappear, it is best to go to an expert to regain good cervical mobility and be able to carry out daily activities without problems.

What is cervicalgia?

Cervicalgia is the formal way of calling neck pain or cervical pain. This includes the occipital area (nape of the neck), the neck to its sides and the upper vertebrae of the spine. Muscle stiffness and pinching of the vertebral nerves are the main causes of this pain.

Types of neck pain

Neck pain does not always occur in the same way in people and that is why it is possible to talk about different types of neck pain, depending on the time and intensity of the pain.

Firstly we can talk about a acute neck pain or one chronic neck pain. The first of them usually appears suddenly as a result of an injury, while the second refers to when the injury no longer exists but the pain remains.

On the other hand, depending on the type of pain, there are two types. On the one hand, the mechanical neck pain, where the pain is related to tendons, muscles and ligaments. This pain worsens with exertion and improves at rest. It is usually related to muscle contractures and injuries. Likewise, there is the inflammatory or non-mechanical neck pain. In this case, the causes are inflammatory, infectious or tumorous. The pain is continuous and only reduces with medical treatment.

Within these types, we can find different specific conditions. Among them is the stiff neck. This is a condition in which the neck muscles contract and cause the head to tilt, turn or rotate to one of the two sides, which is why it is called a unilateral contracture of the cervical muscles.

Another condition included in cervical pain is cervicobrachial neuralgia. This is an ailment that goes from the cervical region to the upper extremities, since it affects the cervical nerve root that reaches the arms. It is also called sciatica of the arm or neck.

Finally, we can highlight the cervical sprain, also called whiplash either whiplash. It is an injury caused by a forced movement of the neck, forward, behind or to the sides. It is very common for it to originate from a traffic accident or spinal trauma.

What are the causes of neck pain?

Between the most common causes of neck pain soft tissue injuries are found, caused by trauma or progressive deterioration. Although the causes, in general terms, are very varied, the pain appears as a result of abnormalities in the muscles, ligaments, discs or nerves in the area.

The most common causes of this pathology are usually related to trauma or degenerative diseases. Among the main associated pathologies is facet osteoarthritis, which represents a progressive deterioration in the patient's general condition. It is also common in patients with cervical disc herniation, which can be treated with a cervical prosthesis operation that does not present sequelae.

On other occasions, Neck pain may be associated with vision disturbances or emotional stress. In cases of anxiety or depression, it is common for the neck area to store the tension that the patient suffers. Also, It is possible that neck pain appears as a consequence of other pathologies, such as whiplash, cervical osteoarthritis, myofascial syndrome, contracture, myelitis or a degenerative disease of disc disease or

What consequences does cervicalgia bring?

Between the main consequences of neck pain, the most characteristic symptom is neck pain and difficulty and decreased mobility in the area. On many occasions, it is also common for headaches, headaches, dizziness, neck stiffness, tingling or numbness to appear in the area.

Between the secondary dysfunctions of neck pain, there are other organs that can be affected. Ears, vision, and upper extremity mobility can easily be affected by neck pain. In these terms, ringing in the ears, visual disturbances and tingling in the shoulders, arms and/or hands may appear.

How is neck pain diagnosed?

For him diagnosis of neck pain, it is necessary to take a clinical history of cervical symptoms. This should include a complete postural assessment, as well as mobility and painful areas. Also, it is necessary to evaluate the nerve function of the arms and legs, in case the injury could be compressing or affecting a nerve.

Depending on the results obtained, it is usually common to perform a more complete examination, which includes tests such as CT or electromyography, in which, using very fine needles, nerve conduction is studied.

What is the treatment for neck pain?

Once diagnosed, the neck pain treatment. Firstly, it is common to administer anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxants to mitigate the pain. This treatment is accompanied by showers with high-temperature pressurized water and some neck stretching exercises.

If the pain does not disappear, the most ideal thing to do physiotherapy for the treatment of neck pain. This is usually one of the most effective treatments, since manipulation of the temporomandibular joint can be carried out, which can relieve pain. Another of the most used physiotherapy techniques is cervical tractions, which relieve pain by reducing pressure on the nerves.

In cases in which these treatments do not work, the cervical disc herniation surgical operation, with the aim of reducing nervous pressure. In more serious cases in which nerve compression is posing a risk of paralysis for the patient, surgery can be performed.

How to live with cervicalgia

Depending on the intensity of the pain and the treatment, Chronic neck pain can last several weeks and acute neck pain only a few days.. Whatever the case, neck pain can become a limiting factor that affects the patient's daily activities. Therefore, we must take into account certain guidelines for learning to live with neck pain.

The ice application When pain appears, it is one of the most effective practices to mitigate it. As has been seen, neck pain has a direct relationship with emotional stress, therefore, it is important to channel emotions and stress so it doesn't get worse. Disciplines such as yoga or Pilates could be beneficial to achieve emotional balance and, therefore, reduce tension in the neck area.

It's fundamental, give importance to rest hours, both to the quantity and quality of hours of sleep. Therefore, it is important that the pillow and mattress are of good quality and allow the body to rest. According to sleep experts, The best position to sleep with neck pain is the fetal position, which consists of lying on your side with your knees and arms semi-flexed.

Tips to strengthen the cervical spine and not suffer cervical pain

In most cases, unless it is caused by more serious pathologies, neck pain is avoidable. Listed below are different guidelines to take into account to strengthen the cervical:

• Importance of sleeping position, avoiding face-down postures, which are a forced position for the spine.
• As much as possible, support your head when sitting for long periods: traveling, working in front of the computer, etc.
• Perform moderate, low-impact exercise that strengthens the area.
• Prioritize the quantity and quality of rest, so that your muscles can relax.
• Avoid overexertion and pulling heavy objects that could cause overloading of the area or whiplash.

As explained, neck pain can be avoided in many cases. Therefore, it is important to maintain good postural hygiene, as well as good emotional stress management. In this way, this injury, which can be disabling for the patient, will be avoided. If you have symptoms, do not hesitate to ask a private appointment with the team experts in spinal traumatology in Madrid.