Pain in the neck accompanies the current generation, even generations (since this pain, like love, is all ages of defense), with enviable constancy.
Any office worker, professional athlete, senior citizen or schoolchildren sometimes experiences unpleasant sensations - a sore neck, painful turning of the head, pain felt from behind, from the side, neck emits a crunch when turning. The cause of pain in the first place was a sedentary lifestyle, to which we all voluntarily or forcibly give preference.
Neck. Functional features of the body part
The main function of the neck anatomy determines the connective. The human body and head are held only thanks to this strong and at the same time fragile part of the body.
But one can hardly call secondary one of the functions of the neck - to withstand huge loads.
To calculate and analyze what a human neck has to go through at the slightest inclination of its head. You should resort to one of the engineering disciplines - the resistance of materials.
So, the average head weight of an adult is approximately 4.5 kilograms - this is the weight that makes up the main burden on the neck and vertebral section with perfect posture (flat back and straight head holding). By the way, the first sign that something is wrong with the posture - the neck hurts, it hurts to turn both the head and the body.
But back to sopromat: axial load is much easier compared to inclined. What happens if a person tilts his head just three centimeters forward? The load on the neck increases to 9 kg. If the slope is six centimeters, the equivalent rises to 13.5 kg. And this is because of some several divisions on the line.
And now you can calculate how many times during the day a person changes his head position. Not exactly, of course. On average - about 1000. A weak neck would definitely not stand this. Therefore, with full right we can rank the neck to powerful parts of the body. And the fact that she aches a little, most of us are to blame for ourselves.
If the spine is uneven, then the neck hurts
The first and most common cause of frequent neck pain is poor posture. Now few people adhere to the rule of the ideal back: this is when it is straight, the chin is slightly raised, and the shoulders are leaning a little back (all as taught by the unforgettable Lyudmila Prokofievna from the Office Romance). All, basically, like her are clumped, sandwiched. And this is a big disaster for the health of the neck.
The main problem, even the threat of incorrect posture, is that the head moves sideways or forward (visually it is imperceptible, but the neck reacts very negatively). Such posture creates all the prerequisites for the deformation of the vertebral discs and the development of a hernia. And if at the beginning of the "era of incorrect posture" everything seems to be fine, nothing is bothering, then in a year or two the uneven spine will make itself felt. If the neck hurts, it hurts to turn your head - this is the "hello" from the spine offended by inattention.
The massive problem of office plankton
Not only were the cars flooded all around, computers also joined them! Now it is hardly possible to find an uncomputerized workplace. Is that the janitor does not use the "infernal machine", and therefore is full of health.
Everyone who doesn’t get out because of their PC eight hours a day and five days a week, counting, developing, tracing and predicting, suffer osteochondrosis en masse.
A familiar ailment: it hurts to turn your head, neck hurts. Or unbearable discomfort is felt inside her, I want to throw my head back in the chair for a few minutes. Here in this, by the way, it is a sin to refuse yourself: the neck, exhausted by constant tension, asks for mercy and rest.
Tilting and circular head rotations are the most affordable exercises that can be performed without leaving the workplace, and which the neck really needs.
Out of Age Disease
Although there is no specific name for this disease, everyone characterizes it in almost the same way: the neck hurts, the head turns to hurt, however, it can not be attributed to frivolous and independently passing it.
Pain in the neck is an echo of very dangerous diseases, which are not recommended to be launched.
Pain in the neck does not have specific age preferences, it is characteristic both for elementary school students and for students and working youth, as well as for grandmothers who spend interesting leisure time on benches at the porches.
Nature and reasons
Pain in the neck can be both sharp (lumbago) and pulling in nature. Both types are extremely unpleasant. Lumbago occurs in any part of the neck, pulls, as a rule, on one side. If the neck hurts, it hurts to turn on the right, then this is it - a "long-playing" pain. If unilateral pain lasts more than a week, this is a signal from the body about some serious disease.
The cause of neck pain can be:
- injury;
- osteochondrosis;
- osteoarthrosis;
- severe overstrain of the cervical muscles;
- long stay in an uncomfortable position;
- hypothermia;
- stay in the draft;
- swelling or hernia of the spine;
- some diseases (rheumatism, heart attack, syphilis).
The first actions for pain
Nobody likes going to the doctors, and at the first minor or very noticeable pain, we all prefer to endure, to be treated on our own or to rely on chance. Well, my neck is jammed, it hurts to turn my head - is this a reason to rush to the clinic?
If a person is sure that pain in the neck does not represent anything dangerous - he just turned unsuccessfully or stretched out, then you can try to get rid of the discomfort on your own.
The first thing to do if the neck hurts, it hurts to turn the head, warm the muscles with massage. Maybe which pinched, and massage movements can "pull out" it and put it in place.
If you know for sure that the cause of the pain is a draft, then massage is not enough. Need warming rubbing or compresses. In parallel, you can take aspirin.
The inflammatory process must be removed with cold compresses: keep ice wrapped in a towel for several minutes. After the compress, you need to wipe your neck and warm it up - at least taking a hot shower.
If the neck hurts, it hurts to turn and touch - it may cause injury. In this case, a visit to the doctor can not be avoided.
And if the pain gives in the arm, even the numbness of the limb, is felt in the ears or in the bone of the base of the skull, then this is a serious reason to get advice from a neurologist - such symptoms are a harbinger of very dangerous diseases.
How to get rid of pain forever? Is it possible?
If the pain has just begun to manifest itself, then it may very well be that nothing has been lost. It is necessary to carefully analyze its nature, find out the reason and begin to get rid of it.
What a sore neck hurts to turn head, may indicate an improper lifestyle.
Therefore, the new rules for everyone who wants to forget about pain, are as follows:
- less sitting at the computer and watching TV, more walking in the fresh air;
- during sedentary work, you need to take a ten-minute break every hour - just walk around the office, stand by the window, drink coffee, in the end;
- daily perform a set of simple exercises;
- visit the masseur regularly;
- even if he is ill, it will be useful to periodically do acupuncture.
Posture Exercise
So, posture. The most important factor in preventing neck pain. If you know how to keep your back straight, then everything will be all right with the neck. Unfortunately, for most, aligning your back is an almost unrealistic task. That's why the neck hurts, it hurts to turn it even slightly - her pain lurks in the back.
The proposed exercise gives an excellent effect, but it is difficult in that you can forget about it in the confusion of the working day, it can be endlessly put off until tomorrow. But if the neck hurts, it hurts to turn, action must be taken. This exercise belongs to the category of prophylactic, but it helps with the first pain.
- The starting position is to become straight.
- The shoulders should be raised as high as possible.
- Dilute the raised shoulders to the side until they stop.
- Lower your shoulders.
This position is the correct posture necessary for the disappearance of pain in the neck. The main secret to the success of the exercise is to constantly remind yourself of its need and control the correct back position. It is uncomfortable and difficult only in the first few days, and then proper posture becomes a habit.
Simple Rescue Gymnastics
To relieve or prevent neck pain, it is necessary to train her daily through simple exercises that can be performed without leaving the table.
Exercise 1. Leaving the shoulders still, it is necessary to tilt the head first to one, then to the second shoulder.
Exercise 2. Put your hands on your forehead and, leaning slightly forward, create resistance to tilting your head with your palms. Also - when tilting back and to the sides.
Exercise 3. Holding a load (not more than 2 kg), you should shrug several times.
The main complaints
After staying in a draft, with an uncomfortable posture during sleep, with a sharp change in the position of the head, the complaints of pain in the neck are almost the same for everyone:
- After a long and uncomfortable sitting in a low stool (the head was constantly lifted up), there was a feeling of dull pain in the lower occipital part - the “junction” of the neck and head.
- I smoked at the open window, now it hurts to turn my head, my neck hurts.
- She slept all night on an uncomfortable pillow, woke up from the sensation of a stiff neck.
- The neck always hurts with a sharp turn of the head and lifting up.
- The pain arose unexpectedly - the neck hurts, it hurts to turn and touch.