Cervical contracture is typically characterized by pain and difficulty moving the neck, especially when it comes to turning your head to the side.
It is a very common condition that is why it receives other names such as stiff neck and torticollis.. This condition can also be accompanied by a headache, Neck Pain, Shoulder pain(s) and / or arm(s), and makes the person have to turn the whole body compared to the neck when it comes to looking to the sides or back.
Cervical contracture is not a disease, it is rather the sign or part of the symptoms of another condition.
Symptoms typically last a couple of days to a week and can lead to neck pain that ranges from mildly painful but bothersome., to extremely painful and limiting.
While there are some cases where cervical contracture is a sign of a serious medical condition, most episodes of "stiff neck" or acute pain heal quickly due to the resilient and restorative nature of the cervical spine.
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Causes and symptoms of cervical contracture
The most common causes of stiff neck include, but they are not limited to the following:
Muscle strain or sprain
With much, the most common cause of a cervical contracture is a muscle strain or strain, especially in the levator scapulae muscle.
Located on the back and side of the neck, the levator scapulae muscle connects the cervical spine (neck) with the shoulder. This muscle is controlled by the third and fourth cervical nerves. (C3, and C4).
The levator scapulae muscle can become strained or sprained in the course of many common daily activities., such as:
- Sleeping in a position that tightens the muscles By the neck.
- Injuries that strain the neck.
- Any activity that involves repeatedly turning the head from side to side, such as in a front crawl swimming race.
- The bad posture, how to stoop while viewing the computer screen.
- Excess stress, which can lead to neck strain.
- Holding the neck in an abnormal position for a long period, such as holding a phone between your neck and shoulder.
Meningitis / Infection
Contracture or stiffness in the neck, in combination with a high fever, headache, nausea or vomiting, drowsiness and other symptoms, may be indicative of meningitis, a bacterial infection that causes the membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord to swell.
Other infections can also cause symptoms of a stiff neck, like meningococcal disease, an infection in the cervical spine.
Every time a cervical contracture is accompanied by a fever, it is recommended to seek immediate medical attention to verify these possibilities.
Cervical Spine Disorders
Many cervical spine problems can lead to a neck contracture. The contracture or stiffness may be a reaction to the underlying disorder in the cervical spine..
or ejemplo, a herniated disc cervical or cervical osteoarthritis which can lead to contracture, since the structures and nerve pathways of the cervical spine are all interconnected and a problem in any area, can lead to muscle spasms and / or muscle stiffness.
Cervical contracture treatments
As a general rule, it is advisable to seek medical assistance if the symptoms of cervical contracture do not disappear after a week.
Immediate medical attention is recommended if neck stiffness is observed after a traumatic injury, or if there are additional bothersome symptoms, such as a high fever.
In the vast majority of cases, a cervical contracture can be treated within a few days.
