Definition
In the medical field, cervical pain is known as neck pain: it is a common disorder that affects the structures of the neck, including muscles, nerves and vertebrae in the spine. Cervical pain is often described as a "stiff neck", which most often affects only one side of the neck.
Causes
Cervical pain can derive from a multitude of causal elements, of different nature; in mild forms, the pain in the neck is often due to the assumption of an incorrect position or strokes of cold, responsible for a tension and muscle fatigue that lead to episodes of cervical pain. Even more intense is the cervical pain derived from injuries and heavy injuries, which can result in the so-called whiplash; furthermore, the herniated disc, the degeneration of the intervertebral discs and the bone spurs can ignite cervical pain. Sometimes, neck pain is an expression of serious pathologies, such as meningitis, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer of the spine.
- Risk factors: habit of continually tightening teeth, advanced age, osteoarthritis (spondylosis), lack of sport, stress
Symptoms
When the pain in the neck involves the nerves, the patient often complains of an unpleasant sensation of tingling or numbness, often accompanied by weakness of the arm and hand. The intensity of cervical pain is subjective and also depends on the cause that favored it; not always the pain in the neck reflects an alarming condition, but it is advisable to consult a doctor in case of persistent pain, loss of strength of the hands and arms, continuous tingling in the upper limbs, headache and inability to touch the chest with the chin.
Information on Cervical Pain - Drugs for Cervical Care is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Cervical Pain - Drugs for Cervical Care.
drugs
The ideal treatment for the treatment of cervical pain depends on the cause that caused it; for minor cervicalgia, for example, pain medication is required to be taken orally to reduce pain, while analgesic or corticosteroid injections are recommended for analgesic control of more severe forms. Even cryotherapy, or ice therapy, seems particularly suitable for creating a sort of analgesia directly in the area affected by the pain: in this case, it is advisable to apply ice bags or bags, which should not be placed directly in contact with the skin, within the first 2-3 days of the trauma. After 48-72 hours, it is advisable to replace cryotherapy with heat therapy: in this case, warm showers and warm water packs on the neck are recommended.
In some cases, it is necessary to immobilize the neck with special collars: the forced immobilization of the neck is generally recommended for cervical pain due to muscle tears and whiplashes (eg following a car accident). The orthopedic collar, by applying slight pressure to the structures of the neck, helps to relieve pain; to underline that the collar should not be kept for more than 2 weeks.
A few words must be spent on the importance of exercises for cervical pain: a specific program of exercises, frequently practiced, can alleviate pain, thus improving the patient's quality of life, especially those complaining of chronic cervical pain. It is recommended to perform physiotherapy exercises slowly, avoiding fast movements and sudden jerks, which could exacerbate the pre-existing problem.
Exclusively in severe cases, surgery is the last viable option for resolving severe cervical pain, useful for relieving spinal cord and nerve compression.
NSAIDs: indicated for pain therapy in the context of neck pain.
- Ibuprofen (eg. Brufen, Moment, Subitene): for medium-to-moderate cervical pain, it is recommended to take an active dose of 200-400 mg (tablets, effervescent sachets) by mouth every 4-6 hours after meals, as needed. Do not take more than 2.4 grams per day.
- Acetaminophen or Paracetamol (eg Tachipirina, Efferalgan, Sanipirina): take the drug to reduce cervical pain. Or (in the form of tablets, syrup, effervescent sachets) or rectally (in the form of suppositories), administer paracetamol at a dosage of 325-650 mg every 4-6 hours as needed. The drug can also be taken intravenously, for particularly intense forms of cervical pain: 1 gram every 6 hours or 650 mg every 4 hours for adults and adolescents weighing more than 50 kilos: if the patient weighs less than 50 kilos, administer 15 mg / kg every 6 hours or 12.5 mg / kg every 4 hours.
- Naproxen (eg Aleve, Naprosyn, Prexan, Naprius): it is recommended to take the drug at an oral dose of 550 mg once a day, followed by 550 mg of active every 12 hours; alternatively, take 275 mg of naproxen every 6-8 hours, as needed. Do not exceed 1, 100 mg per day.
- Dihydroergotamine (eg. Seglor, Diidergot): the drug is particularly indicated for the treatment of headache derived from acute cervical pain. The drug can be administered intramuscularly, intravenously or subcutaneously (1mg, at the earliest manifestations of the symptoms; subsequently, it is possible to administer 1mg every hour, until the symptoms are remedied), without exceeding 6mg per week.
Cortisonics : indicated in cases of intense cervical pain, associated with an evident inflammation of the nerves of the neck. The cortisone drugs should be taken by topical injection, near the nerve roots or the neck muscles.
- Methylprednisolone (eg. Solu-medrol, Urbason, Medrol): the drug is a powerful anti-inflammatory to be used in therapy to relieve inflammation that accompanies cervical pain. The dosage must be established by the doctor.
- Prednisolone (eg. Solprene, Deltamidrina): the drug is used to treat severe cervical pain as a powerful anti-inflammatory. The dosage must always be established by the doctor based on the severity of the disease and the patient's condition. Indicatively, the dose to be taken varies from 5 to 60 mg a day, possibly divided into several doses (1-4) during the 24-hour period, to be administered intravenously or intramuscularly. Use only with a medical prescription.
Other drugs used to reduce acute cervical pain:
- Pregabalyn (eg Lyrica): the drug is an analogue of gamma-aminobutyric acid, indicated to treat neuropathic pain in general. For the treatment of cervical pain, it is recommended to take three doses of 50 mg per day. The dosage can be increased up to 300 mg total per day, after at least 7 days of therapy. It is recommended not to stop taking the drug abruptly, but to gradually reduce the dosage.
- Tramadol (eg. Tralenil, Tramadol, Fortradol): muscle relaxant and opioid derivative used in therapy to relieve acute cervical pain. The dose should be established by the doctor based on the intensity of the pain and the cause; in general, the dose varies from 25 to 400 mg.
- Lidocaine (eg Lidocaine Molteni Hydrochloride, Xylocaine, Lidrian, Xilo Mynol): analgesic drug to be injected on site. Indicated to mask cervical pain, even temporarily. The dosage must be established by the doctor on the basis of cervical pain and the cause that triggered it; however, it is recommended not to exceed 200 mg of drug per day.
