Pain and discomfort in the neck is often ignored, they say it goes all pass. Perhaps we should pay attention and how to treat? Of course, you need to contact the doctor for advice, because this pain may be hiding a lot more than just muscle spasm.
Well if you will help warm up or charge, but may need to go to the masseur, but time passed and nothing helps, so what is this pain?
In the cervical spine there are 7 vertebrae so we can talk about the good mobility of this segment. At vertebra C1, which is the first individual structure, as it’s called Atlantis. It has no vertebral body and intervertebral disc.
About cervical
Atlanta has two legs, the front and rear respectively, and they are needed as a stop for an opening in the spinal canal. Their coupling occurs through the lateral bone thickening. The surface of the vertebra is characterized by a concave articular elements, so-called spikes, which are connected in the region of the occipital bone with condyle.
It is followed by S2, which in medical practice is called the axis. This vertebra there is a body that transformirovalsya in the odontoid process, but there is no intervertebral disk.
Process, having the shape of a tooth stuck to the top and there is attached to the inner surface on the front of the arc C1 and thus the joint. C1 and C2 are combined into one unit by using three joints – one middle and two lateral. The combination of all these joints forms a single complex, thereby rotating human head.
The remaining 5 vertebrae have their own body and prop. Each of them is separated from the other by intervertebral disk, need for shock absorption in the spinal column. Each individual vertebra is surrounded by ligaments and nerves.
Displacement and change of the vertebrae within the cervical
The mobility of the spine within the cervical highly controversial. Under mobility, you should understand the possibility of making different kinds of movements, such as flexion, extension, ability to lateral inclinations and circular head movements. Stability allows the spine, in conditions of physiological stress, to maintain optimal proportions between the vertebrae, to protect them from deforming changes and to protect against potential pain. If stable individual elements of the spine, and it’s all stable.
Under the concept “spinal segment” is a description of two adjacent disks that connect one intervertebral disk.
Why, when instability of the cervical headache
Instability of the vertebral column is, in essence, a functional disorder, leading to deterioration or abnormal change of mobility in the individual segment areas. Among these pathologies can be noted new levels of freedom of movement, the increase in the amplitude of the deviation of the head from the axis. When such changes occur, the offset segments of the spine, and this always causes a headache.
Causes of instability may be different:
- Post-traumatic stress syndrome, when the instability appeared as a result of the injury of the spine, for example, when fracture or dislocation;
- Degenerative diseases that develop because of processes of degeneration, such as, for example, osteochondrosis;
- Postoperative instability is a consequence of pathological changes in the supporting structures of the spine, such violations may occur after surgery;
- Dysplastic changes appear as consequences of a pathological formation of bodies and ligaments in the vertebrae, as well as modifications of the intervertebral discs or articular complex.
Causes of headache in diseases of the cervical spine can carry another character.
The pain occurs because:
- Injuries in the accident, while practicing all kinds of sports or from the impact blast;
- Osteochondrosis of the spine when the body originate degenerative change.
- Genetic underdevelopment in the development of the intervertebral discs.
Signs of instability in the cervical spine prior to the development of headaches
Irritated nerves radiating pain, which head also starts to hurt. Such a headache is characterized as occurring permanent and its intensity increases after strong active loads. Pain discomfort manifested as a result of spazmirovannah of the neck muscles.
When changes in stability of the spine headache may occur under the influence of external resistive load.
Deformed spine is a pain due to the destruction of individual elements or displacement of the vertebrae themselves.
Before the advent of headaches also points to an insolvent reference complexes which can no longer protect the spinal cord from damage and deformation. Over time, the mobility of the cervical is lost, there are neurological symptoms, backache, radiculitis pain.
If the person does not provide timely medical assistance and prescribe the right treatment, the headache will soon begin to be accompanied by loss of muscle tone pain in the neck, a violation of the articular mobility. When there is a spinal syndrome, the patient may need surgery. At this point, the spinal cord is pinched and the circulation process it slows down, you lose the sensitivity, there are cramps, numb and weak limbs. Can develop partial paralysis.
Headache and muscle tenseness in the cervical spine. At the beginning of the disease the muscle tone increases, and this gradually leads to strain and muscle fatigue. Then the blood circulation, the tone falls and appears hypotrophic syndrome. Standard physiological stress become unbearable, so it is necessary to immobilize the neck.
Diagnosis and treatment
Used in the diagnosis of some of the most popular methods. First, going to full history, through careful questioning of the patient. Second, a full visual inspection. Then the x-rays in lateral projections and radiographs in flexion and extension.
Treatment of instability of the vertebral column in the cervical spine – is carried out even when symptoms of the disease can be noted that the headaches. If spinal symptoms are absent, then the physician chooses to prevent complications of conservative methods of influence. It is necessary to resort to gentle mode, try not too as not to burden the neck. Instruct the patient to wear cervical collar soft or rigid fixation.
Gives good results therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the primary stage of the disease prescribe pills and not IV drips and injections. In the regimen often includes drugs for pain relief, and in cases when the pain is worse – using the method procaine blockade.
Not out of place will be a course of physical therapy designed individually, taking into account the medical history and rehabilitation abilities of the patient. Independent services of a chiropractor can not only alleviate pain, but much to aggravate the General condition.
If shows surgery, the result of such an operation, the vertebral column must be returned to its former stability, thus lower levels of decompression and nerve structures will no longer be squeezed.
Surgery those patients who suffer from neck and headaches more than two months, while the conservative treatments do not bring relief. As well as full or partial intolerance to certain drugs and various physiological processes, effects-based conservative therapeutic scheme. In cases of maintaining a sustainable and spinal root symptoms, which were caused by compression of the nerve structure of the patient is also recommended surgery. When subluxation of the vertebrae, which resulted in instability of the cervical, surgery should be performed without delay.
To restore the correct position of the spine surgeons may use a method of spondylosis, focused on the front or back surface. During the operation, carried out the replacement of damaged segments on the bone graft, which can only be installed in the gap of the adjacent disks. But after such an operation, this segment is absolutely not moving. Unfortunately, such a radical method of treatment also has a number of contraindications.
