Cervicalgia is a Pain in the Neck!

Question: Alison.

Can you tell me what Cervicalgia is as my GP has told me that this is what I am suffering from and it should go away in time with physiotherapy.

Yet I have been in pain since the end February!

Answer:

Cervicalgia is a medical term meaning 'pain in the neck'.

This can arise due to any incident that involves sudden movement of the neck, and in many cases no particular event is remembered.

The nerve roots that arise from the spinal cord in the neck can be affected by sudden stretching or compression, and pain and spasm in the muscles of the neck tend to occur as a result.

Usually neck movements are painful and restricted, and the pain may radiate to the shoulder region. It is also not unusual for sufferers of Cervicalgia to experience pins-n-needles and sharp stabbing pains down one or both arms.

The treatment of Cervicalgia includes local heat treatment, pain-killers, rest, muscle relaxants and physiotherapy.

My regime (if appropriate for the patient) would be local heat pads for 1hr four times a day, Diazepam 4mg (Valium) three times a day, Diclomax SR 75mg twice a day and Solpadeine Plus 2 tablets every six hours. After 4 days of treatment introduce Physical Therapy. *Review after 10 days.

In most cases symptoms will settle within a few weeks, but sometimes they can be prolonged.

Lifestyle factors such as position of work (especially for people using VDUs), posture, and type of bed, can all play a part in prolonging this condition.

Physical Therapy, as well as providing local treatments, usually includes advice about lifestyle factors, and exercises to protect and strengthen the spine.