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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MARI CARMEN

2 days ago

Mi experiencia es estupenda. Me tratan muy bien desde hace años y con mucha mejoría. Magnífico equipo del Dr.Jesus Santiago. Son los mejores.

Eva Ros

2 days ago

Mi experiencia con el Dr. Francisco Duca ha sido excelente. Quiero destacar su gran profesionalidad, puntualidad y, especialmente, su calidad humana. Es un médico cercano, atento y que dedica el tiempo necesario a escucharte y explicarte todo con claridad, de manera que puedas entender perfectamente tu diagnóstico y las opciones de tratamiento. Después de casi dos años sufriendo un dolor lumbar muy intenso, gracias a su tratamiento he experimentado una mejoría extraordinaria, recuperando gran parte de mi bienestar y calidad de vida. Le estoy profundamente agradecida por su dedicación, su trato y, sobre todo, por haber conseguido aliviar un dolor que llevaba tanto tiempo condicionando mi día a día. Un gran profesional que recomiendo sin ninguna duda. ¡Muchísimas gracias, doctor!

Miriam picon

3 days ago

Muy contenta con el servicio en la Unidad del Dolor. Me han realizado varios bloqueos en el nervio superficial peroneo la Dra. Neira y estoy muy contenta. Pincha con cariño.

Raquel Zerpa Franco

5 days ago

La primera experiencia fue muy agradable desde Gabriel que fue muy amable hasta las enfermeras y por último la doctora Minerva. Las dos infiltración me han resultado beneficiosas para mis dolores.

EMZR

5 days ago

Quiero agradecer de corazón el trato recibido por parte de todo el equipo de la Unidad del Dolor. Desde la persona que se encarga de gestionar las citas, siempre tan amable y atento, hasta los profesionales que me atienden en consulta y en quirófano, todos me han hecho sentir acompañada y en buenas manos. Cuando convives con el dolor crónico, no solo es importante el tratamiento que recibes, sino también la calidad humana de las personas que te atienden. Encontrar profesionales que te escuchan, te tratan con respeto, se preocupan por ti y te transmiten confianza marca una gran diferencia. Gracias a todo el equipo por su profesionalidad, su empatía, su paciencia y su cercanía, en especial a Alberto Vela y Ramón López. Es de agradecer encontrar personas que, además de hacer bien su trabajo, te hacen sentir que estás en buenas manos en un proceso que no siempre es fácil. Gracias por vuestro trabajo y, sobre todo, por el trato humano que ofrecéis.

Miguel RUIZ GARCIA

6 days ago

Quiero expresar mi más sincero agradecimiento al doctor Francisco Duca por el excelente trabajo realizado para aliviar el fuerte dolor que sufría a causa de una hernia discal con ciática. Después de sufrir un dolor muy intenso, en tan solo dos sesiones consiguió que desapareciera por completo. Ya desde la primera infiltración noté una mejoría espectacular, con el dolor prácticamente desaparecido, y tras la segunda sesión desapareció por completo. Estoy enormemente agradecido por su profesionalidad, su eficacia y por haber conseguido devolverme la calidad de vida. Sin duda, lo recomiendo totalmente a cualquier persona que esté pasando por una situación similar. ¡Muchísimas gracias, doctor, por su gran trabajo y por quitarme un dolor que me estaba haciendo sufrir tanto!

Andrés javier León sanchez

7 days ago

Buenos días, la verdad tengo el placer de agradecer a todo el equipo médico, personal que intervino dentro y fuera del quirofano, así como la atención y amabilidad del Grabiel el administrativo, me sentí muy arropado y atendido, un fuerte abrazo para todos ellos😉👏