There are many striated muscles in the neck area. These muscles move the cervical spine, enable the head to turn left and right, carry the head, and help vision and hearing. Spasm is the contraction of these muscles against our will. Acute and chronic muscle spasms in the neck muscles are the most important cause of pain in the neck, head, back and shoulder area. In addition, spasm in the neck muscles can disrupt the natural curvature of the cervical spine.
There is hardly a person who does not complain of neck pain at some point in his life.
Neck pain; It occurs as a result of strain on the bones, joints, vertebrae, discs that make up the cervical spine, and the muscles and ligaments around the spine. The most common cause of neck pain is spasm of the muscles around the cervical spine. If the spasm in the neck muscles lasts for a long time, permanent shortening of the muscles occurs. Regardless of the underlying disease (hernia, aging of the spine, calcification, flattening, slipping, etc.), the most important event that causes neck pain is muscle spasm and shortening. Muscle spasm and shortness also cause these diseases to progress.
Neck pain, headache, pain in the shoulders, neck pain, numbness spreading to the arms and hands, feeling of weakness in the hands, dizziness, tinnitus, neck pain. It is common in people with spine problems. There is also a close relationship between chronic neck pain and depression. Stress of daily life, insomnia, problems with family and work environment, and economic losses can cause neck pain or increase existing neck pain. Neck problems can sometimes be severe enough to affect a person's daily life activities.
Diseases that cause neck pain are very diverse; cervical disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, whiplash injuries (spine injuries due to accidents and falls), osteoporosis, ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis rheumatic diseases, arthrosis (calcification) in the cervical spine, myofascial pain syndromes, pain resulting from injuries due to repetitive movements. Straightening of the cervical spine and inversion of the neck axis are common causes of neck pain. Diseases such as tumor, metastasis and infection cause neck pain. They are very rare causes of neck pain.
In all causes of neck pain except tumors, infections and rheumatic diseases, muscle spasm is the most important component of the pain, regardless of the underlying disease. For example, stress and strain on a nerve due to osteoarthritis can increase paravertebral spasm, causing pain or causing milder pain to become more severe.
Aging, stress, posture disorders, bad pillow, insomnia, fatigue. Long working hours, exposure to drafts, sleeping with wet hair or going out can make the pain more pronounced.
What can be done to treat neck muscle spasm?
Massage, posture training, therapeutic hot and cold applications, electrotherapy, therapeutic ultrasound and other physiotherapy methods, special spine supports, corset and axis corrector applications are sufficient for most patients.
IMS, trigger point injections, Minimally invasive methods such as prolotherapy produce quite dramatic improvements in most patients.
It is very important to apply home exercise programs or exercise programs with specially developed devices.
Very rarely, surgical interventions are required to treat the underlying disease. It may be necessary.
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