Vertebrogenic cervicalgia: causes, symptoms and methods of treatment

Vertebrogenic cervicalgia is a neurological disorder accompanied by severe pain in the neck, which often spreads to the nape of the neck and shoulder girdle. This syndrome gives the person a lot of inconvenience. So what is the cause of this condition?

What are the causes of vertebrogenic cervicalgia?

Most often, the cause of constant pain is degenerative processes in the spine. In particular, the most common risk factors include osteochondrosis. With a similar disease, the intervertebral disc tissues are gradually destroyed, which leads to their displacement. When the structure of the disc is protruded, the vessels are squeezed and pressed against the nerve roots, which, accordingly, causes chronic pain.

Approximately the same pattern is observed with hernias, spondyloarthrosis and spondylosis. For reasons also include the formation and growth of a tumor in the spine. On the other hand, chronic vertebrogenic cervicalgia often develops against a background of a previous trauma or progressive autoimmune disease.

It should be taken into account that pain attacks most often appear when exposed to unfavorable environmental factors, including hypothermia. From chronic pain in the neck people suffer, the profession of which requires a long stay in a sitting position (for example, office workers, chauffeurs). Sometimes such symptoms appear with intense physical exertion, a sharp turn of the head, an uncomfortable posture during sleep, and so on.

Vertebrogenic cervicalgia and its symptoms

As already mentioned, the main symptom of this pathology is pain in the neck. Quite often vertebral cervicalgia is accompanied by sharp, shooting pains. A person is afraid of moving, because any, even the slightest, movement causes an acute, painful attack.

In chronic cervicalgia, pain is less intense, but is almost constant. When the nerve fiber is squeezed, the body instinctively tries to limit movement, which causes a persistent muscle spasm, so this condition is accompanied by stiffness.

In some cases, the pain extends to the arm, the area of the scapula, and sometimes the sternum. Often, vertebral cervicalgia is accompanied by headaches. Indeed, displaced intervertebral disks often clamp vessels, disrupting cerebral circulation.

How is cervicalgia treated?

Immediately it is worth noting that the diagnosis of "cervicalgia" can only be made by a doctor. After all, in this case, a thorough examination of the entire body is necessary. Pain in the neck, arms and back can indicate a mass of diseases, including muscle inflammation, gastritis and even myocardial infarction.

It is extremely important to find out the cause of pain in the neck and eliminate it. As for symptomatic treatment, in the first place it includes the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. With a strong muscle spasm, it is advisable to take muscle relaxants. You can remove the pain with anesthetic ointments and gels, in particular, experts recommend "Fastum-gel", "Diclac", "Voltaren".

Positively, the patient's condition will be affected by physiotherapy, in particular electrophoresis. Therapeutic massage removes muscle spasm and improves blood flow, but such procedures can not be performed during an exacerbation.