What Causes a Stiff Neck and Dizziness?

Straightening of the cervical spine's physiological curvature is mostly caused by improper posture. The straightening of the cervical spine's curvature is also known as the disappearance of the cervical's physiological curvature or the reverse of the cervical's physiological curvature.

Straightening of the cervical spine

Straightening of the cervical spine's physiological curvature is mostly caused by improper posture. The straightening of the cervical spine's curvature is also known as the disappearance of the cervical's physiological curvature or the reverse of the cervical's physiological curvature.

Basic introduction of cervical spine physiological curvature straightening

From the side, the neck of the human body seems straight when sitting or standing. In fact, the cervical spine that surrounds the body is not straight, but has a direction in the middle.

Normal cervical spine

Radius forward. This forward curved protrusion is medically called the physiological curvature of the cervical spine. Through the cervical spine imaging on the X-ray film: walking along this curvature, there is a continuous, smooth curved curve formed at the posterior edge of each cervical vertebra, which is medically called the cervical spine curvature. When the posture is incorrect for a long period of time, or after a long period of exertion, lack of movement of the cervical spine, spinal injury, spinal calcification, etc., the physiological curvature of the cervical spine straightens.

Overview of cervical spine physiology

Cervical spine physiological curvature straightened Normal cervical spine physiological curvature

Normal physiological flexion of the cervical spine The method of measuring the physiological curvature of the cervical spine is to start downward along the posterior upper edge of the dentate process, and connect the posterior edge of each vertebral body into an arc, and then from the posterior upper edge of the dentate process to the seventh cervical vertebral body The posterior lower edge is a straight line, and the maximum distance from the highest point of the arc to the straight line is the value of the physiological curvature of the cervical spine. The normal range is approximately 12 (± 5) mm.

Cervical spine stretcher

Physiological curvature of the cervical spine

The existence of the physiological curvature of the cervical spine can increase the elasticity of the cervical spine, reduce and buffer the shock of gravity, and prevent damage to the spinal cord and brain. Due to long-term sitting, poor sleeping posture, and dehydration of the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc, the lordosis of the cervical vertebra can gradually disappear, and it can even become straight or buckled, that is, the kyphosis becomes a more important diagnostic basis for X-ray of cervical spondylosis. one.

Causes of cervical spine physiology straightening

(1) Acute neck muscle sprain: Due to muscle pain and cramps, the muscles pull the bones, causing the physiological curvature of the neck to straighten.

(2) Neck and Shoulder Muscle Fibrosis: Due to its poor sitting posture and cold, it can cause neck and shoulder muscle fibritis, causing muscle spasm due to pain. Pain caused by inflammation of the joint capsule, ligaments and facets can also straighten the physiological curvature of the cervical spine.

(3) Root-type cervical spondylosis: In the acute phase, due to the acute inflammation of the involved small joints, swelling of the periosteum and joint capsules, and the nerve roots near the neighboring state are stimulated, patients often have neck and shoulder tension, and their activities are significantly restricted. Can cause cervical curvature to straighten.

(4) Cervical spine lesions: such as cervical spine tumors, tuberculosis, and purulent infections can cause neck pain, muscle spasms, restricted cervical spine motion, and straightening of the physiological curvature.

(5) Ankylosing spondylitis can cause cervical stiffness and rigidity at an advanced stage.

Clinical symptoms of cervical spine physiological curvature straightening

The main symptoms are sore head, neck, shoulders, back, arms, stiff neck and restricted movement. Then dizziness, turning around, and vomiting in severe cases are common symptoms.

Some people may not have any symptoms, some people may have numbness of the hands (nervous cervical spondylosis), neck pain and discomfort due to the compression of the nerve roots, and more severely, dizziness, dizziness, nausea, walking dizziness, etc. Symptoms, cervical spondylosis is a disease that seriously endangers the health of desk workers, and its manifestations are diverse. Mainly there are neck and back pain, weakness of upper limbs, numbness of fingers, dizziness, nausea and even blurred vision and blurred swallowing.

Cervical spine physiological straightening disease pathology

Under normal circumstances, a person's cervical spine presents a certain degree of radian, which is manifested as a convex forward, but due to some adverse external effects, it is easy to cause the cervical spine to straighten. These bad external causes mainly include acute neck sprains, bad living habits and working postures, and neck and shoulder muscle fibrous tissue inflammation.

Trauma may induce this disease. Many people are caused by muscle pain, cramps, stretched to the bones, resulting in straightening of the cervical spine. Therefore, everyone should pay attention to avoiding trauma and other factors in daily life.

Due to long-term poor sitting, cold and other reasons can cause neck and shoulder muscle fiber tissue inflammation, causing muscle spasm due to pain. Pain symptoms caused by inflammation of the joint capsule, ligaments, and facets can also reflect the spasm of the neck muscles to protect the affected joints, so the spasm of the neck muscles can straighten the physiological curvature of the cervical spine.

In the acute phase of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy, due to the acute inflammation of the affected small joints, swelling of the periosteum and joint capsules, and the stimulation of adjacent nerve roots, patients often have cervical and shoulder muscle tension, and their activities are significantly restricted, which can cause cervical spine Physiological curvature straightens.

Cervical spine lesions, such as cervical tumors, tuberculosis, and purulent infections, can cause neck pain, muscle spasms, limited cervical spine movement, and straightening of the physiological curvature. These are the reasons that can easily induce the straightening of the physiological curvature of the cervical spine, which requires everyone to try to avoid in daily life.

Diagnosis of cervical spine physiology straightening

With head, shoulder, neck, arm pain and corresponding tender points, there are no obvious degenerative changes such as vertebral space stenosis on the X-ray film, but there can be changes in the physiological curve of the cervical spine, intervertebral instability and mild bone hyperplasia And other changes. This type is extremely common clinically and is the earliest cervical spondylosis. Because the symptoms are mild, they often do not pay enough attention, so that repeated attacks make the condition worse, many patients who repeatedly fall into the pillow are such changes. From a large number of clinical observations, this type is actually the initial stage of cervical spondylosis and the most favorable time for treatment.

Treatment of cervical spine physiological curvature straightening

Most patients will have a stiff neck, limited mobility, and local muscle aches. There are many clinical methods to treat the cervical curvature straightening, such as minimally invasive therapy, cervical traction, massage therapy, physical therapy, and so on.

1. Minimally invasive treatment

Laser Needle Knife Relief: This treatment technology is a visually minimally invasive technology first developed in Europe. It is used to treat spinal diseases such as lumbar disc herniation and cervical spondylosis. It is also one of the most noticeable ones in current minimally invasive technology. Emerging therapies. This is a non-invasive technique that does not require surgery, has a significant effect on the treatment of adhesions caused by soft tissue, and can effectively relieve pain symptoms.

2. External treatment of traditional Chinese medicine The external treatment of traditional Chinese medicine is one of the important items of traditional Chinese medicine in treating cervical spondylosis.

3. Cervical traction treatment

(1) Widen the intervertebral space, restore the stability of cervical thrust and its normal physiological function.

(2) Relieve muscle spasm, peel and loosen adhesion tissue, and eliminate inflammation and edema.

(3) Increasing the interforaminal space and intervertebral space, distraction of wrinkled or ossified ligaments, so that the compressed nerve roots and spinal cord can be relieved, blood supply can be improved, and nerve tissue function can be restored.

(4) The tortuous vertebral artery is distracted, the ratio of the length of the cervical vertebrae to the vertebral artery is restored, the push artery is kept unobstructed, the normal cerebral blood supply is maintained, and the normal brain tissue function is restored.

4. Massage Massage is a most common method to alleviate the symptoms of cervical spondylosis. Massage for cervical spondylosis has the functions of relieving muscles and collaterals, promoting blood circulation and dispersing blood stasis, reducing swelling and pain, smoothing joints, and repairing wrong seams.

5. Physical therapy The method of applying physical factors such as sound, light, electricity, heat, and magnetism to the human body to prevent and cure diseases is called physical therapy, which is referred to as physical therapy.

Physiotherapy is widely used in clinical practice and has its unique medical value. It is an auxiliary method for straightening cervical curvature. Cervical spondylosis often has stubborn neck and shoulder pain. Electrotherapy and hyperthermia have good pain relief effects.

When cervical osteoporosis compresses the nerve root and spinal cord, it can cause an inflammatory response. The application of ultrasound, infrared, electrotherapy, hyperthermia, etc. can have the effect of promoting the subsidence of inflammation and absorbing edema. Long-term inflammation can cause tissue adhesion, and patients after surgery often have a large number of scars. Physiotherapy has the effect of releasing adhesions and softening scars.

Complications of cervical spine physiological straightening

Physiological curvature of cervical spine straightens dysphagia

Obstructive sensation when swallowing, foreign body sensation in the esophagus, a few people have nausea, vomiting, hoarseness, dry cough, chest tightness and other symptoms. This is because the anterior edge of the cervical spine directly presses the posterior wall of the esophagus and causes esophageal stricture. It may also be caused by the rapid formation of bone spurs that stimulate the soft tissue around the esophagus.

Cervical vertebra physiological curvature becomes straight vision impairment

Presented as decreased vision, eye pain, fear of light, tears, pupil size, and even visual field reduction and sharp vision loss, individual patients can also suffer from blindness. This is related to the ischemic damage of the occipital lobe visual center caused by cervical spondylosis caused by autonomic nervous disorders and insufficient vertebral-basal artery blood supply.

Cervical spine

It is manifested as pain in the precardiac area, chest tightness, arrhythmia (such as stroke, etc.) and changes in the ST segment of the electrocardiogram, which are easily misdiagnosed as coronary heart disease. This is due to the stimulation and compression of the cervical spine by the cervical spine.

Cervical spine physiological curvature straightening hypertension cervical spondylosis

Can cause blood pressure to rise or fall, among which the increase in blood pressure is more, known as "neck hypertension". Because cervical spondylosis and hypertension are common diseases in the elderly, the two often coexist.

Cervical spine physiological curvature straightened chest pain

Manifestations of slow and intractable unilateral pectoralis major and breast pain, with pectoralis major tenderness upon examination. This is related to the compression of cervical spurs by cervical 6 and cervical 7 nerve roots.

Cervical spine physiological curvature straightened lower limb paralysis

Early manifestations are numbness, pain, and lameness in the lower limbs. Some patients feel like walking on cotton when walking. Individual patients may also have defecation and urinary disorders such as frequent urination, urgency, poor urination, or incontinence. This is because the vertebral body tract is stimulated or compressed by the cervical spur, which results in lower limb movement and sensory disturbance.

Cervical spine physiological curvature straightened

Often when standing or walking, he suddenly falls over because of a sudden loss of support from the body. He can wake up quickly after falling to the ground, without conscious disturbance, and without sequelae. Such patients may be accompanied by symptoms of autonomic dysfunction such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. This is because the cervical spine proliferative change compresses the vertebral artery and causes basal artery blood supply disorder, which results in temporary cerebral blood supply insufficiency.

Physiological curvature of cervical spine

This is not to ask you to look up, "no big, no small", to hit elders, bosses and friends, but to keep you away from modern civilization disease-cervical spondylosis. This cervical spondylosis cannot be ignored. It can make your shoulders and neck and upper limbs sore and painful, and your fingers numb. "It can even cause symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, unclear vision, unsteady walking, and irregular bowel movements."

There are more and more people, no matter they are old, young or middle-aged, who suffer from this disease, and the factors that cause cervical spondylosis are mainly three aspects:

First, the normal curvature of the cervical spine was injured due to long-term computer and desk work.

Second, in middle-aged and elderly people, the metabolic function is reduced, which causes bone hyperplasia or calcification in the cervical spine, which affects the operation of qi and blood and makes the neck more prone to pain.

Third, caused by trauma: In addition to the accidental injury to the neck, the posture is incorrect during exercise; the neck is immediately forward and backward caused by the whiplash injury when braking; the pillow is not the right height, or the neck Cold, etc. can cause neck pain and inconvenience.

In addition, the normal cervical vertebra is curved backwards, and the connected thoracic vertebra is forwarded, which is reasonably distributed, but because we often lower our heads and lift heavy objects, the cervical vertebrae are tractioned and the cervical joints are loosened. The gap between the joints is enlarged, and the curvature of the cervical spine is "aliased", which naturally causes neck and shoulder pain.

Cervical spine physiology becomes straight

^[1] Due to chronic injury or degeneration of cervical spine and cervical soft tissue, the mechanical balance between the inside and outside of the spine is imbalanced. Compression or stimulation of neck blood vessels, nerves and spinal cords cause head, neck, shoulder, arm, upper limb, middle back, chest pain and other symptoms, Even a group of clinical symptoms such as limb dysfunction. Mild symptoms include headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, neck and shoulder pain, numbness of the upper limbs, weakness, tinnitus, blurred vision, chest tightness, palpitation, etc. In severe cases, it can also cause paralysis of the limbs, impaired stool, and even endanger life. Cervical spondylosis does not include fractures and dislocations of the cervical spine and bone tumors caused by acute trauma. There are many factors that cause and aggravate cervical spondylosis, and pillows that are frequently used during sleep are one of the important reasons.

For the average person, at least 1/4 to 1/3 of the day is spent in sleep. Therefore, if the pillow is used improperly or without a pillow, it may easily cause or exacerbate cervical spondylosis. Conversely, if you pay attention to and adjust the posture of the cervical spine during sleep, it can also have preventive and therapeutic effects. Pillows are an important tool for maintaining the normal position of the head and neck, that is, the physiological curvature during sleep. This physiological curve is not only a guarantee for the balance of the external cervical muscle group, but also an indispensable condition for maintaining the physiological structure of the cervical spinal canal. If the pillow is not selected and used properly, it not only disrupts the external balance that maintains the normal curvature of the cervical spine, but also directly affects the size of the cervical spinal canal volume and the physiological structure of local tissues. Therefore, the height of the pillow must be highly valued.

As the saying goes, "Sit back and relax" is actually not the case. Under normal circumstances, the physiological curve of the cervical spine is lordosis. If the pillow is too low and the head and neck are excessively reclined, the curvature of the lordosis is increased, and not only the muscles and ligaments in front of the vertebra are prone to fatigue due to excessive tension. And can cause chronic damage. At the same time, the tissue behind the spinal canal can protrude forward into the spinal canal, increasing the pressure inside the spinal canal. Excessive back-and-back tilt of the head and neck also lengthens the spinal canal, and the spinal cord and nerve roots in the spinal canal are relatively short. Symptoms appear. If the pillow is too high, the head and neck will bend excessively, which will easily strain the muscles and ligaments behind the vertebral body, causing or aggravating cervical spondylosis.

For those with dyskinesia, the film shows cervical disc herniation and / or bone hyperplasia at the posterior edge of the vertebral body, which may constitute direct compression of the spinal cord. The pillow may be slightly lower, but the head and neck should not be excessively reclined. The main problem is sensory disorders. The pillow may be slightly higher in those who suspect that the posterior ligament of the spinal canal is compressing the spinal cord. For those with developmental cervical spinal canal stenosis and osteoprosthesis in the posterior margin of the vertebral body, the pillow is better physiologically. Neutral. In order to effectively maintain the physiological flexion of the cervical spine and fully relax the neck muscles, the pillow should be adjusted to a saddle-like shape that is low in the middle, high at both ends, slightly higher at the neck and shoulder edges, and low at the opposite edge. . Reasonable pillows should be moderate in texture, non-elastic (heat compression sponge pillow core is better), rectangular. Because each person's body size and shoulder width have individual differences, the height of the two ends of the pillow varies from person to person to ensure the maintenance of cervical spine physiology. For this reason, when making a pillow, it should be considered to be adjustable, and it should also be helpful to change the height of the pillow and adapt to different sleeping positions (reclining, lying on the side).

Cervical spine physiological curvature straightening suitable pillow

The right pillow is important for prevention and treatment. Generally, the supine pillow is one punch high, and the lateral one is half a punch high, about 10 cm. The filling amount of the pillow should be appropriate to maintain a certain hardness and elasticity. Over-elastic pillows easily cause fatigue and damage to neck muscles.

Straightening the physiological curvature is actually a cervical spondylosis. This requires us to subconsciously protect the cervical spine in our daily work. In this regard, choosing pillows at night is very helpful, but the choice of pillows is very principled.

Cervical vertebra physiological curvature becomes straight

Pillow height is not good for cervical osteogenesis. Highly suitable. The suitable height of the pillow is 6-10 cm. The specific size depends on the physiological characteristics of each person, especially the physiological curvature of the neck. These two different heights can ensure the normal physiological curvature of the cervical spine in the supine and lateral positions, that is, the cervical spine is straight when viewed from the front, and the cervical spine has a forward physiological curvature when viewed from the side. In principle, sleeping on the pillow does not distort the neck.

Cervical spine physiological curvature straightened soft and moderate

The physiological curvature straightening pillow should choose a slightly softer type without losing a certain hardness, on the one hand, it can reduce the pressure between the cervical pillow and the scalp, on the other hand, it can maintain the uneven pressure, so that the blood can be relieved from pressure Smaller places pass. Cervical spondylosis pillows need only be slightly elastic. Excessive elasticity can cause neck muscle fatigue and injury.

Straight cervical pillow filling

Commonly used are: buckwheat hull: cheap, breathable, you can adjust the height of the pillow at any time.

Purong: Soft texture, good air permeability, can be adjusted at any time.

Mung Bean Shell: Not only has good air permeability, but also cools and relieves the heat, it is better if you add an appropriate amount of tea or mint. The ideal pillow with protective effect should be a thermal compression sponge pillow. This pillow is a special pillow with specific functions. It is generally used for cervical spondylosis, cervical osteogenesis, snoring and insomnia. This type of pillow core is made of high-quality sponges, which are cut through the overall measurement and electrical control. Especially at high temperatures, special thermal compression processing technology and zero pressure test technology are used to form special thermal compression sponges. The characteristics of this pillow are:

1. The pillow is not easily deformed: it ensures that the shape of the cervical spine pillow is not easy to change, the density is high, and the pillow is kept at a reasonable height for a long time. This ensures that your cervical spine is always at a comfortable height during sleep, not because of the deformation or elasticity of the pillow during sleep. The weakening causes the fall of the pillow or affects the stability of the cervical spine joint, thereby inducing or aggravating the physiological curvature straightening.

2. Always stay at zero pressure when sleeping: Specially made thermal compression sponges generally need to use zero pressure software testing technology. During the production process, the softness and rigidity of each pillow is strictly controlled to effectively reduce the human body pressure to zero pressure and offset. The counterforce provides the most even and true support, so that the part that has been in contact for a long time during sleep is in a stress-free state, which effectively promotes blood circulation.

Straightening of cervical spine physiology

Straightening of the cervical spine physiological curve to prevent trauma and pillow fall

Usually should prevent neck trauma and pillow fall, in order to avoid cervical ligament damage, damage to the stability of the cervical spine, and then induce or aggravate cervical spondylosis.

Straightening of cervical spine physiology to strengthen neck exercise

Strengthening the neck exercise can prevent and delay the occurrence and development of cervical spine diseases.

How do office workers prevent the cervical spine from straightening at work?

Experts put forward the first point is that in the best method for treating cervical spondylosis, head posture is very important. In the sitting position, keep the natural end-to-end position as much as possible, with the head slightly tilted forward to maintain the normal physiological curve of the head, neck, and chest; you can also increase or decrease the height ratio of the table to the chair to avoid excessive recline or excessive head and neck Forward flexion; In addition, a beveled working plate with a 10 to 30 degree angle to the table top is more conducive to the adjustment of the sitting posture.

The second is to make the head and neck turn to the left and right several times purposefully in about 1 to 2 hours. The rotation should be gentle and slow to achieve the maximum range of motion in that direction; or shoulder movement, both shoulders Slowly tighten for 3 to 5 seconds, and then stick your shoulders upwards for 3 to 5 seconds, repeating 6 to 8 times. The method for the majority of white-collar workers to straighten the physiological curvature of the cervical spine is that everyone can also use two desks with both hands on the table, with their feet emptied, their heads tilted back, and hold for 5 seconds, repeat 3 to 5 times.

Straightening of cervical spine physiology

1. Reduced the shock-absorbing effect on the head.

2. The neck is stiff and normal activities are restricted.

3. Causes chronic cervical spine disease.

4, leading to yellow ligament hypertrophy, neck ligament damage, related vertebral muscle damage.

5. Some patients will also be accompanied by high blood pressure or high or low blood pressure, abdominal contraction, decreased appetite and palpitation, and poor sleep.

The cervical curvature is straightened to protect the cervical spine

Everyone who has been facing the computer and television for a long time will inevitably have cervical discomfort. For most people's lifestyle, it is necessary to prevent cervical spondylosis in advance; it is never better to prepare for the dead sheep. Instead of waiting until the cervical spine is injured, go to receive long-term tedious treatment It's better to be pre-emptive and take the initiative to let the cervical spine be carefully maintained by us.

7:00 Active temperature adjustment in the morning

Regardless of winter and summer, give your cervical spine a comfortable temperature. Even for beauty, prepare a shawl in the office to protect your neck and back. Occasionally cold, fry a bowl of cold soup for myself.

10:00 5 minutes of cervical spine exercises

Sit up, keep your whole body still, and move your head with one head, doing head-down, head-up, left-turn, right-turn, forward extension, and retract; Hold for 5 minutes each time.

14:00 Two methods of massage

1. Behind the neck, from the bottom of the skull to the upper part of the trunk, there are 3 points of Bailao points. When you spare no effort, take a few minutes to massage these three reaction points, and immediately relieve cervical fatigue and relax your body.

2. Cross your fingers with each other and place them behind the neck. Rub the neck back and forth gently. Rub 50 times in a row. After the neck heats up, you will feel relaxed and comfortable.

18:00 Do outdoor sports.

20:00 At the dinner, the kidney is added.

Chinese medicine believes that walnuts, mangosteen meat, raw land, black sesame seeds, beef bones, etc. have kidney-medulling functions. These materials can be added to your dinner to strengthen the bones and bones, and delay the kidney and spine decline.

22:00 Enjoy a traditional hot compress

Fry a little cumin and 250 grams of salt together, put it in a cloth bag, and put it on the back of the neck for 30 minutes. 1 time daily. It can improve blood circulation in the neck and back and relieve muscle spasms. ^[2]