All about neck pain

Symptoms of neck pain

Cervical pain, also known as cervicalgia, manifests itself in different ways depending on its origin and severity. Among the most most frequent symptoms include:

Pain or stiffness in the back of the neck
Pain radiating to shoulders, back or arms
Associated cephaleas (headaches)
Dizziness or feeling of instability
Loss of strength or sensation in arms and hands
Difficulty moving the neck or holding it in certain positions

In some cases, neck pain can become chronic, significantly affecting the quality of life of those who suffer from it.

How does neck pain occur?

Neck pain can have multiple causes. The most common are:

Muscle tension due to bad posture, stress or overloading
Degeneration of cervical discs due to aging (cervical osteoarthritis)
Herniated discs in the cervical region
Trauma such as whiplash following an accident
Inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis
Structural alterations congenital or acquired

Sedentary lifestyle, excessive use of screens and inadequate ergonomics also contribute to the increase in cases of neck pain in the population.

How neck pain is diagnosed

At MIVI Salud we perform a complete medical assessment to arrive at an accurate diagnosis of the origin of the cervical pain. This includes:

Detailed medical history
Musculoskeletal physical examination
Imaging tests such as X-rays, MRI, or CT scans
Electromyography (EMG) if nerve damage is suspected

An accurate diagnosis is key to apply the most appropriate and personalized treatment.

Types of neck pain

Cervicogenic Headache (Headache with cervical origin)

The cervicogenic headache is a pain that manifests itself in the cranial region whose source of origin is in the cervical region. It is overall one of the most common causes of head pain after migraine and tension headache. It manifests itself most frequently unilaterally, usually as a pain in the back of the head (occiput), on the sides of the head (temporal) and whose origin/source is in the degenerative or traumatic deterioration (due to an accident) of the joints that join the cervical vertebrae (facet joints) of the upper segments of the cervical region (from C1 to C3).Occasionally the pain is accompanied by nausea and photoaudiophobia (sensation of discomfort to noises and light).

For more information on cervicogenic headache click here.

Radicular Pain

The radicular painalso commonly called sciatica (when it affects the legs) can also manifest itself in the upper limbs (arms). This pain, as in the legs, when it manifests itself in the arms, it manifests itself as a tingling, numbness or electric sensation that affects different areas. This pain can cause significant discomfort in the sufferer and may also be accompanied by alterations in motor skills. Determining the origin of the problem and where it is located is essential in order to apply the most appropriate treatment.

For more information about radicular pain click here.

Myofascial myofascial syndrome of the cervical-dorsal region

The myofascial syndrome of the cervical-dorsal region is a picture of muscle pain sustained over time caused by persistent contracture of a muscle or muscle group. This is the most frequent cause of cervical and dorsal pain. This contracture is characterized by presenting as a tense, palpable band in the muscle (the contracture), which presents increased consistency and which when pressed produces pain in the area of the contracture or in the path of the muscle.

For more information on myofascial syndrome of the cervical-dorsal region click here.

Cervical Facet Syndrome

The facet joints are small joints that stabilize and reinforce the spine in all its segments. They perform fundamental functions for the cervical region since, together with the intervertebral disc, they stabilize and cushion the loads produced by movement, in addition to allowing rotation and flexion-extension movements of the neck. When a disc wears out, the distance between the vertebrae decreases in such a way that these joints contact each other, becoming inflamed and triggering pain. If the alteration is not corrected, the joints will continue to wear out, producing what is known as cervical facet syndrome. cervical facet syndrome.

For more information about Cervical Facet Syndrome click here.

How to treat neck pain

The treatment of this pathology will depend to a large extent on the patient’s condition, age and symptoms. Some of the possible treatments are outlined below:

Drugs for pain relief
Interventional treatments: when pain control is not sufficient with drugs, interventional treatments will be applied to alleviate pain. Treatments of great help such as:
- Radiofrequency to deactivate pain-causing nerves
- Advanced minimally invasive techniques
- Image-guided infiltrations (facet blocks, radicular blocks, etc.)
Physiotherapy: we have a team of physiotherapists specialized in cervical pathology who apply advanced techniques with a functional and personalized approach. The most effective treatments include:
- Manual therapyjoint mobilization, myofascial release and neuromuscular techniques to reduce stiffness and improve range of motion.
- Dry needlingTreatment of myofascial trigger points responsible for radiating pain.
- Electrotherapy and tecartherapytechnologies that accelerate recovery through deep tissue stimulation.
- Therapeutic exercisespecific cervical strengthening, stabilization and motor control exercises adapted to each patient.
- Global Postural Re-Education (GPR)Comprehensive treatment to correct muscular imbalances and prevent relapses.
- Neuromuscular bandaging (kinesiotaping) to relieve muscle tension and improve circulation.

Cure your cervical pain at Mivi Salud

At MIVI Salud we have a team of pain specialists with extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of neck pain. We combine cutting-edge medical technology with a human and personalized approach to help you to regain your wellbeing and get back to living without pain..

Do you live with neck pain? We can help you.

Book your first medical assessment and start your path to improvement.

Here begins your life without pain

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Wuilmar Galue

3 days ago

AML L

3 days ago

Muy buenos profesionales , atentos , amables y con calidad humana . Destacar también recepción que reciben con una sonrisa . Las instalaciones limpias . Al día de hoy mi experiencia en esta clínica es excelente .

JAVIER MIGUEL SALVAT

3 days ago

Sergio Carbonaro

4 days ago

Excelente atención, con profesionales de primera linea, tanto como el equipo medico, administrativo y del Dr. Algarra

Roser Hurtado

5 days ago

Encantada con la Dra.Natàlia Neira. Empàtica y cercana.Me he sentido comprendida. Muy hábil con la eco grafía, su infiltración ha marcado un antes y un después. Gracias Dra.Neira.

Detlef Neumann

2 weeks ago

Ich wurde sehr gut und kompetent behandelt

Merche

2 weeks ago

Quiero destacar el gran trabajo de Nicolás. Después de años arrastrando molestias por un accidente del que nunca llegué a recuperarme completamente, y tras sufrir otro más reciente que me provocó fuertes dolores lumbares, había pasado por varios terapeutas sin encontrar una solución real. Nicolás fue el primero en identificar el origen de mi problema. Me explicó claramente qué estaba causando el dolor y comenzó a tratarlo de forma específica. Desde entonces estoy notando una mejoría importante y, por primera vez en mucho tiempo, siento que estoy avanzando de verdad. Muy agradecida por su profesionalidad y por haber encontrado la causa de unas molestias que llevaba años arrastrando. Totalmente recomendable.

Antonia Guesoler

2 weeks ago

Muy buen profesional JESUS,la pena es la demora que hay

Miguel Figueras Lopez

2 weeks ago

Buenas tardes, el Doctor Nebreda y su equipo son muy buenos profesionales y el trato es formidable , sobre todo la enfermera Julia, estoy muy contento con sus intervenciones y tratamientos....lo recomiendo a cualquier persona que le haga falta para tratar su dolor, un saludo.