Pain in the neck and shoulder area is a health problem that is quite common for many people. This condition is often overlooked because it usually gets better within a few days, moreover, pain in the nape and neck rarely develops into a symptom of a more serious condition. Even so, if pain in the back of the neck and shoulders appears for a long time, it needs serious treatment so it doesn't damage your quality of life.
The causes of pain in the nape and shoulder area are also sometimes not well realized because they are related to daily habits. Neck pain and shoulder pain can be caused by wrong sleeping positions, poor posture when working at a computer for long periods of time, sprained muscles, and repetitive movements of the neck and shoulders such as during sports which cause use of muscles and tissues. tenderness in the area becomes excessive.
In general, it can be concluded that most cases of pain in the back of the neck and shoulders are caused by activities that make the area of the back of the neck and shoulders tense, but pain in the back of the neck and shoulders can also be caused by injuries and some problems in the neck, such as problems with the facet joints in the neck.
Not infrequently, back pain comes from problems with the facet joints . The facet joint itself is a connection in the spinal cavity which is located at the back of the vertebral bones. These junctions help the spine to bend, rotate, and extend in all directions. Whiplash injuries (sudden jerks of the neck), twisting while lifting the head, or accidental rotation of the spine can irritate the facet joints . This irritation can cause damage, inflammation or distortion of the joint. Wear and tear of the joints can lead to loss of cartilage or degeneration of the spinal discs. The disc that serves as a cushion collapses, causing pain in the area. If the facet joints are inflamed, they can cause pain which will interfere with daily activities and productivity. The higher the location of the facet joint , the wider the area experiencing pain.
Diagnosis and Treatment
To detect this painful condition, it is necessary to have a physical examination and various supporting examinations according to the patient's condition, such as X-rays (X- rays ), CT scans (Imaging with Computerized Tomography ) and MRI (Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Imaging ) in the cervical area l/ neck.
To deal with pain that arises in the nape and shoulders, therapy can be carried out using RF ( radiofrequency ) at the EMC hospital as part of the pain management method. Radiofrequency therapy itself is a procedure for relieving pain in the nape and shoulders by using radiofrequency energy to heat and burn the nerves that cause pain, thereby inhibiting the nerves' ability to transmit pain signals to the brain. In addition, radiofrequency techniques can also be used to burn inflammation in the facet joints and manipulate the source of pain. With radiofrequency therapy, people with neck and shoulder pain do not need too long to feel the benefits of radiofrequency so that patients can quickly get rid of the problem of neck and shoulder pain. In addition, therapy using radiofrequency is also relatively simple and safe because there is minimal potential for postoperative complications.
Apart from doing radiofrequency therapy, there are also several lifestyles that can be done to reduce pain in the nape and shoulder area, such as the following:
- Be sure to stretch slowly;
- avoid stress that can cause muscle stiffness and pain;
- fix the sleeping position with a sleeping pillow that is too high;
- sitting in an upright position while working at the computer;
- enough rest.
So, those are some things you can do to deal with pain in the nape and neck area. Don't wait for the pain to get worse, treat it early with a doctor and adopt a healthy lifestyle to avoid chronic disease. #LiveExcellently