Has your neck suddenly hurt? It is impossible to turn your head either to the right or to the left, and the slightest movements cause acute pain? Severe muscle spasm prevents you from leading a normal lifestyle and persists for more than a week? Don’t rush to take painkillers or apply cold (and especially hot) compresses! If the neck is “jammed”, that is, there is a “lumbago” in this projection, it is necessary to urgently contact a professional.
Medical specialists will help determine the exact causes of the phenomenon when a person’s neck is “jammed. Based on an accurate diagnosis, comprehensive treatment and prevention will be prescribed.
This phenomenon is considered a consequence of muscle spasm or the so-called cervical lumbago. The condition may worsen with certain pathologies of internal organs or systems. It is important to understand what caused the lumbago and plan treatment correctly.
Tablets or ointment?
If your neck is so shot that any movement causes burning pain and it’s difficult to even lie down, it’s better to take a painkiller or anti-inflammatory medicine. Your home medicine cabinet will probably contain Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Nise or Dexalgin. Any product based on metamizole sodium is also suitable - Baralgin, Tempalgin or Pentalgin.
Help: an Aspirin tablet will not only help relieve pain, but also normalize blood circulation in the affected area due to its blood thinning properties.
When taking drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), you need to be aware of their possible side effects. Medicines such as Diclofenac and Ibuprofen, as well as their derivatives, negatively affect the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, they should be taken as short as possible, without exceeding the permissible dosages.
You can treat lumbago with topical treatments. In this case, warming and anti-inflammatory ointments will be most effective. They help both with injuries (bruises and sprains) and with neuralgia of various origins.
Finalgon ointment contains two active substances: nicoboxil, a derivative of nicotinic acid, which has a strong vasodilator effect, and nonivamide, a synthetic analogue of capsaicin.
Capsicam ointment, Finalgon, Nicoflex, Apizartron, Viprosal, Ben-Gay, Espol, Efkamon, Sophia cream, as well as Golden Star balm have a warming effect. Locally irritating properties are given to these products by components such as bee and snake venom, hot red pepper extract, camphor and turpentine. Therefore, before using them, you must read the instructions for use. Capsicam ointment, for example, is applied to the skin only with the help of a plastic spatula included in the package so as not to cause a burning sensation in the hands. In addition, each drug has contraindications.
Help: if your neck is pinched due to hypothermia or a draft, you can use vodka, medical or camphor alcohol for rubbing and compresses. After rubbing or applying a compress, the neck must be warmed.
Anti-inflammatory ointments and gels include drugs such as Ketoprofen, Nimesulide (Nise), Dolobene, Airtal, Nurofen, Diclofenac, Piroxicam, Phenylbutazone, Ibuprofen. To enhance the effect of ointments, after application it is recommended to cover your neck with a warm scarf or handkerchief. It’s good if the product is made of natural wool or down. It is best to leave the warm bandage on for the whole day or keep it on for at least 2-3 hours.
Interesting
- A lumbago in the neck is accompanied by acute muscle pain, which limits the mobility of the head.
- The main causes of pain lie in muscle spasm caused by inflammation, stretching and microtrauma, as well as pathologies of the cervical vertebrae.
- People suffering from osteochondrosis are at risk, especially if they have sedentary and sedentary work that requires the head to be in one position for a long time.
- First aid consists of completely immobilizing the head, which is possible with the help of a scarf or handkerchief.
- Diagnosis involves assessing the general condition of the patient and the conditions that provoked the lumbago. X-rays may be required to confirm the diagnosis.
- Drug therapy is aimed at reducing muscle spasm and normalizing metabolic processes in the neck area. Warming ointments and creams provoke increased blood flow to the site of pain, which speeds up the healing process. Analgesics and anti-inflammatories help reduce pain and discomfort, while muscle relaxants relax spasmed muscle fibers.
- Physiotherapy accelerates tissue regeneration processes and also helps to quickly get rid of an unpleasant symptom - limited neck mobility.
- Only an integrated approach to treatment will achieve the expected results. Self-medication may be ineffective if the causes lie in the progression of systemic diseases.
What to do if your neck is jammed?
First aid and medications
The first thing to do when your neck is stuck is not to disturb the affected area..
First aid in this case will be as follows:
- There is no need to immediately perform exercises through pain in order to restore mobility to the neck.
- Take an anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce pain and muscle contractions in your neck.
- Wrap your neck with a special collar that will support it and prevent muscle strain. If they are relaxed, the body will cope with the disease faster.
- Simple exercises, such as shoulder shrugs, are helpful. You can also smoothly turn to the sides where pain is not felt. This will help speed up recovery.
- If the pain is very severe, apply ice or something cold to your neck. Initially, the object must be wrapped in cloth and then applied to the affected area.
- If the pain lasts for more than one day, you can use heat. Take a cloth, soak it in boiling water, wring it out and apply it to the back of your neck. This will help improve blood circulation. Cold helps relieve inflammation in case of acute pain, and heat helps to cope with long-term pain by normalizing blood circulation.
Various medications can also help. First of all, drugs that reduce pain and reduce inflammation are indicated . These include drugs such as Ketorol, Nise, Nimesil, Diclofenac, Meloxicam and others.
For external use, ointments and gels are indicated that help relieve unpleasant symptoms. For example, Fastumgel, Viprosal, Ibuprofen, Bystrumgel, Indomethacin and others.
Surgery
If drug treatment is ineffective or serious complications develop, surgery may be indicated . Surgery is usually needed for a herniated disc.
In this case, the specialist removes the tumor. Intervention is indicated if, within six months, other measures do not help cope with lumbago, while the pathology provokes constant pain.
Exercise therapy and massage
Did you know that...
Next fact
Also, for this problem, massage and physical therapy may be indicated.
Massage should be done after acute symptoms have subsided - there should be no pain at this point. It is optimal to start a massage course 2-3 days after symptoms appear.
Neck massage must be done carefully and only after the acute pain has subsided. It is better to have the massage performed by a professional. However, in the absence of such an opportunity, you can master its technique yourself.
First, lightly stroke the neck area with your palms. Then you need to rub the skin with your fingertips. You need to move in the direction from the back of the head to the back.
Another method of rehabilitation therapy is physical therapy exercises. It is worth starting them after the acute pain has been relieved .
Exercises help speed up the process of restoring motor functions of the cervical spine, improve blood circulation in tissues and strengthen muscles. Exercise therapy is effective for degenerative-dystrophic processes in the cervical vertebrae.
It is important to exercise caution in case of fractures and dislocations . It is recommended to start doing exercises after the vertebrae have been restored. First, exercises are done to relax muscle tissue. In the future, classes are supplemented with strengthening exercises for muscles.
Here are a couple of exercises that can be used for this pathology:
- While sitting on a chair, slowly tilt your head forward to feel the stretch in your neck muscles. Perform 8-10 repetitions.
- In a similar starting position, first smoothly turn your head to the right, then to the left. At the same time, tension should also be felt.
Video: “Exercises for neck tension”
Treatment with folk remedies
At home, traditional treatment measures can be supplemented with folk remedies.
So, the following recipes have worked well::
- Barberry tincture . To prepare it, you need to pour a tablespoon of crushed barberry into a glass of 70% alcohol and leave to infuse in a warm place for a week, shaking occasionally. The finished product must be filtered through cheesecloth to eliminate plant residues. Take 2-3 times a day, 20 drops. Continue the course until symptoms are completely eliminated.
- Potatoes with honey . To prepare this product, peel several large potatoes and grate them on a small grater. Mix the resulting pulp with two tablespoons of honey. The product is applied to the affected area for 10-15 minutes, then washed off with warm water. Repeat the procedure twice a day.
- Lilac tincture . Lilac is often used in traditional medicine to treat colds. But it also has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, so it is also effective for neck jams. To prepare the tincture, you need to fill a small glass jar halfway with lilac flowers, add alcohol or vodka, so that the jar is completely filled. The product should infuse for ten days, then use it to rub the affected areas twice a day - morning and evening.
- Cabbage compress . Use a hammer to beat a few cabbage leaves to get the juice, then put them together. The top layer of the resulting compress should be lubricated with laundry soap, and sprinkled with soda on top. The cabbage compress is applied to the sore spot and secured with a scarf and cling film. After about half an hour it can be removed.
- Mumiyo . This component is used in many traditional medicine recipes. It can also be used to treat a pinched neck. It is recommended to take a teaspoon of mumiyo every day for ten days. Then you need to take a break of at least five days.
In addition to all these methods, it is important to pay attention to preventive measures that help prevent neck pinching.
These include the following:
Playing sports will help avoid neck jams. It is useful to regularly engage in active sports. A passive lifestyle is a very common cause of a stuck neck. Try to do gymnastics, swim or ride a bike several times a week.- Avoid excessive overexertion. Before lifting anything heavy, first stretch your muscles.
- Control your posture, especially if you work in a sedentary job.
- Sudden changes in temperature have a negative effect on the body. It is very important to avoid drafts.
- Visit a massage therapist regularly - this helps prevent troubles in different parts of the spine.
Video: “Repositioning the vertebrae of the neck: a chiropractor’s technique”
Physiotherapeutic procedures
In addition to pharmacological drugs, the patient is prescribed physiotherapeutic methods, the basic task of which is to alleviate the manifestations of the pathological process and normalize blood circulation in the damaged muscle structures of the cervical region.
Mostly, specialists prescribe magnetotherapy to patients with this condition, which is aimed at accelerating regeneration processes in tissues by exposure to magnetic fields. In order to achieve the desired effect, 7 to 10 procedures should be performed. An alternative option in physiotherapeutic methods is electrotherapy, the essence of which is the effect of electrical impulses on the body. Electrotherapy has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
Methods for treating pain and stiffness in the cervical spine
Treatment for neck soreness may include:
- Physiotherapy sessions (magnetic therapy, electrophoresis, ultrasound therapy, shockwave therapy).
- Prescription of painkillers, sedatives, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants.
- Methods of holistic medicine (acupuncture, massage, moxotherapy, hirudotherapy, stone therapy, vacuum therapy).
- Physical therapy, proper organization of the workplace, control of posture.
- Surgical intervention. Radical methods of surgical treatment are prescribed only if conservative methods are ineffective or for a more serious diagnosis that initially requires surgical intervention.
Therapeutic approach
An exceptionally comprehensive approach can produce the maximum therapeutic effect, which is why doctors, in combination with drug therapy, prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures and even traditional medicine recipes. The complex of components of therapeutic measures depends on the root cause of the pathology. In rare cases, the specialist is forced to use surgical techniques.
Pharmaceutical products are also used. Drug therapy is aimed at eliminating the manifestations of the disease, relieving inflammation and restoring blood circulation. In this case, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are indicated. The latter also have pain-relieving properties:
- "Nise";
- "Diclofenac";
- "Voltaren";
- "Nimesil";
- "Nimesulide";
- "Fastum gel".
In order to enhance the effect of prescribed medications, a regime of wakefulness and rest, as well as adherence to a special diet, is necessary. Typically, the diet for a pinched nerve bundle in the neck involves consuming healthy foods to maintain an appropriate balance of nutrients.
Therefore, it is important to exclude unhealthy foods from the diet (fast foods, chips, fatty foods, carbonated sweet drinks, etc.)
Consequences
In the absence of proper treatment, such a seemingly harmless problem can provoke dangerous consequences . For example, if a patient suffers from cervical osteochondrosis, and arteries and nerves are pinched at the same time, an ischemic stroke is possible.
Against the background of cervical osteochondrosis, pinching of blood vessels and nerves in the neck can occur
Headaches are pulsating in nature, and their intensity can increase with any movement of the head. To prevent complications, you need to seek qualified help as early as possible.
Preventive actions
Preventing the occurrence of pain in the cervical spine is quite simple. To do this, you need to carefully monitor your own health, eat right and follow these simple rules:
- Do exercises every morning; if you have problems with the musculoskeletal system, then together with your doctor, choose a suitable exercise therapy complex. An excellent solution would be the exercises of Dr. S.M. Bubnovsky.
- During sedentary work, alternate between rest and exercise. Every hour and a half, do a little warm-up of the neck muscles, perform circular movements with your head.
- Purchase high-quality bedding, preferably orthopedic, to ensure normal sleep hygiene.
- Periodically take a contrast shower, alternating warm water with cold. This will strengthen blood vessels, improve body tone, and invigorate you in general.
- Monitor your posture at all times, do not hunch, do not slouch, wear special correctors if necessary.
- In the cold season, avoid drafts, dress appropriately for the weather, wear a hat and scarf if necessary.
The right approach to preventing neck pain will help you forget about discomfort in the morning, headaches and other symptoms.
It is also important to remember the need for timely treatment of emerging diseases and infections so that they do not develop into complications and pathologies that are difficult to eliminate
Every person has felt sudden pain in the neck at least once in their life. It can be dull or cutting, aching or radiating to other parts of the body. Sometimes this is just a signal of overwork or incorrect posture during sleep, but sometimes pain is a symptom of a serious pathology. If it appears frequently for no reason and is accompanied by other signs, you should immediately consult a doctor.
