Crunching in the cervical spine, causes and treatment. Is a crunch in the neck dangerous?

Often, many people hear a crunching sound when bending over or turning their head. Some people specifically turn their head to the side to maximum amplitude to relieve tension. A crunch in the neck is a common occurrence, but it is not always associated with fatigue or muscle tension, and sometimes it can indicate diseases of the spine and even be the reason that a person cannot turn his head! But many people don’t even think about the fact that turning your head can sometimes be very difficult and painful!

What causes a crunch in the cervical spine?
There are several reasons why there is a crunch in the neck when turning. The neck cracks not only with age, but even in children. Crunch in the neck can be of two types: painless and accompanied by pain.

Causes of a crunch in the neck

“Painless” reasons include:

the presence of increased joint mobility in people with a thin physique;
violation of proper coordination of the cervical vertebrae in the presence of curvature of the thoracic spinal column;
disturbance of calcium metabolism in the body;
bursting of bubbles of carbon dioxide and nitrogen located in the periarticular fluid of the neck;
impaired coordination of flexor and extensor muscles.

The second group of reasons include:

presence of osteochondrosis;
spondylolisthesis, spondylosis or arthrosis;
presence of joint subluxations;
the presence of a hernia in the intervertebral disc.

If the patient has the second group of reasons, then a crunch in the neck will be accompanied by headaches and general discomfort of the cervical spine. The root cause in this case is structural changes in the musculoskeletal system of the neck.

Thus, a crunch in the neck with osteochondrosis is characterized by disc damage. Causes of the disease: the disc becomes very flattened and does not perform a shock-absorbing function. The distance between the vertebrae decreases, followed by compression of the nerve endings and blood vessels. The mobility of the vertebrae is reduced due to small bone growths. A crunch in the neck when turning the head is accompanied by a sharp pain in the neck, spreading to the shoulder and arm. The pain causes a “pins and needles” effect and numbness from the shoulder to the fingertips. With this disease, the headache may bother you in the morning and evening, and during the day, as a rule, it goes away along with neck discomfort.
With spondylolisthesis, the vertebrae are displaced relative to each other. Most often - the 4th and 5th. During this displacement, the anatomical and physiological connection between the vertebrae is disrupted. There are usually two causes of the disease: it can be injuries received in childhood or dystrophic changes in the joints of the spinal column. With this disease, not only does the neck hurt and there is a crunch, but there is also a disturbance in the blood supply, innervation of the head and upper extremities. The affected person may suffer from insomnia, sensory disturbances, or changes in the proper functioning of the senses.

Important: if a crunch in the neck is accompanied by throbbing pain in the head, spine, or upper limbs, then this may be a reason to suspect the presence of a herniated disc.

With spondylosis, bone tissue grows at the edges of the vertebrae, causing cartilage deformation. Tears and cracks form in the cartilage, and then a hernia occurs. The process of squeezing nerve endings and blood vessels begins. After a night's sleep, a person suffering from this disease has pain in the neck, shoulder area and area of the shoulder blades. In addition, when turning and tilting the head, painful sensations and crunching occur. Over time, the sick person begins to complain of ringing in the ears, blurred vision, dizziness and problems with blood pressure. There may be other vascular symptoms.
If the patient suffers from arthrosis, then his complaints are reduced to the sensation of headaches during bending and turning the head after prolonged rest, and go away after moderate exercise, but then become permanent. Arthrosis contributes to poor posture during prolonged sitting. In addition, this disease provokes the causes of diseases such as osteoporosis, tuberculosis, arthritis, rickets and polio.

Treatment

If a person has a crunch in the neck when turning head, then he may be puzzled by the question of why it appeared and how to eliminate it. As already noted, a crunch in the neck is not always a consequence of any disease. However, to find out the cause of discomfort and prescribe treatment, if necessary, it is better to consult a professional doctor. The specialist will conduct the necessary examination and identify the causes of the crunch in the neck. If the doctor does not identify a pathology, then there is no need to prescribe treatment. If a disease of the spinal column is detected, leading to a crunch in the cervical spine, then treatment will be required.

Diagnosis of a crunch in the cervical spine and identification of the cause is carried out using radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Initially, you will need to eliminate pain in the neck area. Pain is relieved by taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Having eliminated the pain, the specialist prescribes physiotherapeutic treatment. Here, therapeutic exercises, as well as neck and back massage will provide assistance. These methods help strengthen the natural muscle corset and normalize blood circulation in the spinal column.

Principles of treatment

For healthy people, experts recommend moderate physical activity: gymnastics, walking and swimming. This is the best advice for those who do not want to resort to treatment and maintain their health for as long as possible. For people who have increased mobility of the vertebrae, doctors recommend wearing special orthopedic corsets. People whose work involves constant sedentary work should take breaks every 30-40 minutes.
If a destructive change in the spinal column is detected, it is worth treating the underlying disease.

Prevention

In order to protect yourself from a “painful” crunch in the cervical spine and not undergo treatment, you should know not only the reasons why the pain occurs, but also constantly monitor your lifestyle. When your neck crunches, unless of course it is accompanied by pain syndromes, do massage or gymnastics.
Physical exercise is beneficial for people of any age. The most important thing is not to create a strong load, it should be moderate.
If the cervical spine hurts, then you cannot make sharp turns or greatly increase the amplitude when turning, otherwise performing gymnastics through “I can’t” will lead the situation to the point where serious treatment will have to be prescribed. In general, any physical exercise performed through “I can’t” does not provide a positive effect on health, as this is due to psychological reasons.
At the same time, remember: if you do not do therapeutic exercises, pain can appear at any moment and then without the help of a chiropractor it will be impossible to even turn your head!

Video: “Crunching and clicking in the neck”

One of the natural mechanisms that maintain human health is pain. This natural security alarm instantly responds to any problems in the body. If your neck crunches when you turn your head, but there is no pain, then not everything is so bad. A crunch in the neck can also occur in completely healthy people. But if turning your head is accompanied by pain, you need to finish reading this article on the way to the doctor.

The cervical vertebrae (there are seven of them) are the thinnest and weakest, and the load on them is more than serious. This part of the spine provides mobility to the head and forms a protected channel through which nerves travel from the brain to the lower spine. The esophagus, larynx, trachea and blood vessels, supplying the brain with oxygen.

The neck is a kind of junction station, on the uninterrupted functioning of which the normal functioning of the body depends (and you can also wear beads on it!). Any problems that arise in this part of the spine will sooner or later affect your health. That is why you should not delay treatment if a crunch in the neck when turning is accompanied by pain or discomfort.

Causes of crunching in healthy people

The reasons for this “sound accompaniment” are not exactly known. It is believed that the crunching sound in the neck is caused by bubbles of carbon dioxide and nitrogen that form in the fluid near the neck joints. When turning, these bubbles burst, and we hear a “cannonade” from many “exploded” gas bubbles.

In healthy people, crunching and clicking may occur in the following cases:

Too much mobility of the intervertebral joints (posterior support point of the vertebrae, anterior support point - intervertebral discs). Most often observed in people with underweight (simply - thin). Such a crunch in the neck is not dangerous, except that it will cause psychological discomfort.
Dissociation (impaired coordination) of flexor and extensor muscles. This cause of crunching is typical for athletes. As in the previous case, no treatment is required. After warming up and warming up the muscles, the neck will stop cracking on its own.
Lack of fluid in the joints. In very young children, fluid simply does not have time to be produced. As the child grows, the crunch in the neck goes away on its own.

You can fix such problems yourself, at home. To do this, you only need regular muscle warm-up. Regular turns and tilts of the head will help get rid of the annoying crunching noise.

Pathological changes in the body that caused crunching and clicking in the neck

The neck can also crack for more dangerous reasons, caused by pathological changes in the body. These conditions require treatment and will not go away on their own:

Calcium, which accumulates in joints and ligaments. Disturbances in calcium metabolism create additional stress on certain areas of the spine. Calcium salts form a kind of block, which creates a crunch when removed. In the long term - abrasion of the spinal discs and serious problems.
Curvature of the spine (lordosis - forward bulge, scoliosis - lateral bulge, kyphosis - curvature of the upper spine) and poor posture. All these pathologies can be accompanied by clicking and crunching sounds.
Our beloved osteochondrosis (dystrophic disorders in articular cartilage with the formation of bone spurs) can also be the reason that a person’s neck cracks.
Subluxations of small cervical joints give not only a harmless crunch in the neck, but also a feeling of dull pain and discomfort, and after prolonged immobility the pain also intensifies. The reasons are weak neck muscles that do not provide good support to the vertebrae.
Uncovertebral arthrosis is degeneration (dystrophy) of small intervertebral discs and/or joints. With this pathology, nerves and blood vessels can be damaged (compression, displacement), dizziness and sharp pain appear when turning, and a crunch in the neck is just a “sound accompaniment” of the disease. Without proper treatment, you can develop chest pain and high blood pressure.
Vertebral displacement or spondylolisthesis. In this case, the connections between the vertebrae of the neck are disrupted and the nerve endings are compressed. Pain that occurs in the neck when turning can be accompanied by numbness in the arms and migraines.

Any set of symptoms, each of the reasons should be alarming. In these cases, the motto “it will go away on its own” does not work. It’s no longer so important why your neck cracks; if there is pain, see a doctor immediately! A crispy neck is a consequence; the cause needs to be treated. The sooner treatment begins, the less danger to health.

Help yourself

Attention! Rotation of the head (not turning to the side) can be performed only in the absence of pain. Otherwise, you can harm yourself! Pain requires treatment!

You can cope with the unpleasant crunch at home. This does not require any special preparations. A little patience and self-discipline will delay or eliminate the need for treatment for a long time.

It is enough to stand (or sit) straight and stretch your neck. But if you think that you can turn your head a little while looking at the TV screen with one eye, then you are deeply mistaken.

Before starting the warm-up, you need to ensure complete freedom for the muscles and vertebrae of the neck. To do this:

Stand up straight (you can sit on the floor “Turkish style”, but only if you are really comfortable in this position). You need to try to straighten (stretch) your spine as much as possible.
Feet hip-width apart, toes and heels parallel. You can even point your toes inward a little (become a clubfoot). Clasp your hands comfortably behind your back.
Shoulders back and down. After taking a deep breath, exhale smoothly and lower your shoulders while lengthening your spine toward the ceiling.
Tighten your kneecaps and tuck your tailbone down slightly.
Even breathing through the nose. During the warm-up, do not forget to monitor your breathing.

The top of the head looks at the ceiling, the whole body should stretch upward, while the shoulders and shoulder blades fall down. All of the above is somewhat reminiscent of shamanic dances with a tambourine, but in reality it is of great importance:

an elongated spine will give the neck freedom of movement;
A “clubfooted” stance will ensure the most stable body position;
drooping shoulders will relieve stress from the muscles and make it possible to easily turn and tilt your head;
pulled up knees and a tucked tailbone will finally straighten your back;
uniform breathing ensures a continuous supply of oxygen to the blood.

The basic rule for any exercise in the neck area is to allow, but not force, the muscles to work, and to do all movements very carefully and slowly. Only now can you do the exercises without the danger of harming yourself:

Exhale and lower your head to your chest. Slowly, without sudden movements, we drop it forward, let the muscles work, but do not pull it forcibly.
As you inhale, carefully raise your head and tilt it back. The range of motion may be very small to begin with.
Repeat the movement five times in each direction (minimum). Lower and raise your head exactly as much as is comfortable for you. Do not force events under any circumstances - this is dangerous for the muscles of the neck and spine.
Turn your head to the side. Check how your feet are positioned, whether your shoulders are slumped, and whether your breathing is shortened. As you exhale, turn your head to the right, inhale - turn forward (slowly!), the next exhale - turn to the left. Do five reps on each side.
Rotation. As you exhale, lower your head to your chest and slowly roll clockwise. As you inhale, roll from behind. The next exhalation is a roll to the chest. The movements are slow, the head moves freely and effortlessly in a full circle.
You can close your eyes and carefully monitor your breathing and the relaxed state of your muscles. Do not raise your shoulders - the muscles will shrink, the blood will not be able to circulate freely and the flow of oxygen to the brain will slow down. As a result, you may feel dizzy.
Repeat turns five times. Then, through exhalation, smoothly change the direction of rotation and perform turns to the left.
At the end of the warm-up, you need to completely relax your neck, lower your arms down and hang your head on your chest. Take several deep breaths in this position. Then slowly (!) raise your head.

If you had the willpower to do a warm-up, congratulate yourself - now you can proudly tell everyone who will listen that you do yoga. This is one of the warm-up exercises required before yoga.

All people from time to time hear an unpleasant crunch in their neck when they turn or tilt their head. At the same time, those who have problems with the spine hear crunching much more often. Why does my neck crack? What are the reasons for this phenomenon and how to deal with it? Today we will try to answer these questions.

Functions of the neck

The neck represents the most mobile part of the spine. It consists of seven fairly large vertebrae, separated from each other by intervertebral discs. Each cervical vertebra is connected to its neighbors through ligaments and covered by a muscular frame.

The neck is responsible for connecting the brain and spinal cord. Large blood vessels run inside the neck and nerve pathways important for the functioning of the body. Any problems with the neck function can pose a serious risk. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to any changes in well-being when turning or tilting your head.

Unfortunately, people in everyday life, even if you hear a crunch in your neck, then most people do not pay attention to this symptom or put off visiting the doctor. It doesn't hurt and it's good. But a crunch in the cervical spine can be a harbinger of a serious illness, which in the future can greatly complicate life.

Causes of a crunch in the neck

As mentioned above unusual sound when moving the head can appear not only in patients, but also in healthy people. For those who do not have any problems with the spine, crunching and clicking in the neck may occur for the following reasons:

A crunch in the neck can occur if there are problems with the spine:

Excessive deposition of calcium salts on ligaments, tendons and muscles in the cervical region. They lead to excessive load on some vertebrae, which causes functional block. When moving, this block breaks off. At the moment of breakdown, the patient hears a crunching sound.
Spinal deformity. The neck may crack due to scoliosis, lordosis or kyphosis.
Uncovertebral arthrosis, affecting small intervertebral joints. The crunch is accompanied by chest pain and increased blood pressure.
Osteochondrosis, spondylosis and spondylolisthesis. These serious diseases of the spine most often cause the neck to crack when bending or turning the head. We will dwell on these diseases separately.

Osteochondrosis

Common disease affecting the spine. With it, the vertebrae undergo diffuse-dystrophic changes. In parallel, destruction of the intervertebral disc occurs. It becomes deformed, becomes thinner and eventually ceases to perform its functions. Because of this, the distance between the vertebrae becomes minimal, which leads to compression of tissues and nerve endings.

When tilting and turning the head the vertebrae begin to rub against each other, which is why a characteristic crunch is heard. With osteochondrosis, it is always accompanied by pain radiating to the upper limbs. In addition, with osteochondrosis, headaches and dizziness come along with the crunch. Very often the sensitivity of the fingers decreases.

This disease requires immediate treatment, as it can lead to disastrous consequences.

Spondylolisthesis

The essence of this disease consists of displacement of the cervical vertebrae relative to each other. The fourth and fifth vertebrae are most often displaced. The cause of such displacement is injury or osteochondrosis. The anatomical and physiological connection between the vertebrae is disrupted. This leads to a crunch in the neck, attacks of dizziness, and pain. By the way, pain always comes after physical activity and affects the entire shoulder girdle.

Spondylosis

This disease also causes a crunch in the neck. Reason – deformation of cartilage and bone tissue. The cartilage tissue cracks and tears. Hernias form at the site of the rupture. Bone tissue grows towards the spinal canal. Osteophytes compress blood vessels, spinal cord, and nerve endings. The disease is accompanied by acute pain in the area of the shoulder blades and neck. When tilting and turning the head, a distinct crunching sound is heard in the cervical spine. As the disease progresses, tinnitus and vision deterioration are added to existing problems.

Spondylosis always occurs in a chronic form and most often affects people in their fifties.

Diagnostic methods

Before you start dealing with a crunch in your neck it is necessary to accurately determine the reasons for its occurrence. This can be done with a full examination in the clinic using the following diagnostic methods:

In the case when there is a crunch in the cervical region when tilting and turning the head accompanied by headaches, echo and rheoencephalography are performed. If there is numbness in the left arm, it would be useful to take an ECG to rule out heart disease.

Each patient must be examined by a neurologist and vertebrologist.

Treatment for a crunch in the neck

Healthy man with a physiological crunch in the neck does not require drug treatment. The problem can be dealt with with the help of health-improving gymnastics.

If the problem arose due to a disease of the spine, then it can only be dealt with through an integrated approach to treatment. That is, doctors try to eliminate the cause and relieve unpleasant symptoms.

For osteochondrosis, spondylosis and spondylolisthesis, in case of exacerbation, the patient is prescribed bed rest and the following medications are prescribed:

Prevention

It is impossible to prevent a crunch in the neck in a healthy person. He will appear from time to time Anyway. However, we can prevent the development of various spinal diseases. The following preventive measures will significantly reduce the risk of developing osteochondrosis:

Correct selection of pillows and mattress for sleeping.
Regularly perform gymnastic exercises aimed at strengthening the muscular frame of the neck.
Consuming sufficient amounts of water to prevent dehydration of the intervertebral discs.
Proper nutrition.
Reducing static loads on the neck.

Conclusion

A crunch in the neck itself is not dangerous. However, if it is accompanied by pain and changes in functional state, then this is a reason to immediately consult a doctor. The sooner treatment is carried out, the less time and money will be spent on it. And the result will be better.

Normally, there is no crunching in the neck when turning the head. This is a clinical symptom indicating degenerative destructive processes occurring in the intervertebral discs or the soft tissues surrounding them. In particular, a strong crunch in the neck when turning the head may be present with the development of osteophytes (deposits of calcium salts). Foci of calcification may be present in ligaments, muscles and tendons. After a neck sprain, extensive scarring may remain. They may also make a characteristic crunching and clicking sound when moving their head.

This article describes how to correctly carry out differential diagnosis and which specialist is best to contact for timely and effective treatment of diseases accompanied by similar symptoms. Here you can also learn about the principles on which the treatment of pathologies of the spinal column is based and what accompanying symptoms should be paid close attention to.

If you are in Moscow, then you have an excellent opportunity to get an appointment with a chiropractor or vertebrologist completely free of charge. Our chiropractic clinic provides all patients with a free initial consultation. If you have a crunch in your neck when you turn your head, we advise you to make an appointment as soon as possible. An experienced doctor will conduct an examination, make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Causes of a crunch in the neck when turning the head

There are various reasons for the occurrence of a crunch in the neck when turning the head in different directions. Here it is important to pay attention to the angle at which the head is tilted when this unpleasant sound occurs. If, when performing movements without load, i.e. If you tilt your head forward and there is no crunch, then there is a high probability that its cause is the destruction of the intervertebral discs.

When the head is in a straight position, a static load is placed on the intervertebral discs. In the normal state of the cartilage tissue of the fibrous ring, load absorption occurs almost instantly. If cartilage fibers are dehydrated, they do not have the ability to carry out shock-absorbing correction and quickly restore their original shape after compression. As a result, when you try to turn your head, the vertebral bodies begin to rub against each other, causing an unpleasant crunch and the sensation of crystals rolling.

Potential causes of a crunch in the neck when turning the head are the following diseases of the spine:

cervical osteochondrosis;
its complication in the form of disc protrusion and the appearance of hernial protrusion of the nucleus pulposus;
instability of the position of the vertebral bodies against the background of weakness of the surrounding ligamentous apparatus;
scar changes in muscles, ligaments and tendons;
deforming osteoarthritis of intervertebral joints;
uncovertebral arthrosis;
poor posture.

Pathological changes leading to the appearance of a crunch do not occur simultaneously. It may take a certain amount of time for the disease to develop. Primary degenerative changes in the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs begin in adolescence. Changes in hormonal levels, the production of huge amounts of sex hormones by the glands, rapid body growth and muscle mass gain - all these factors negatively affect the condition of the cartilage tissue of the spinal column.

Currently, juvenile or teenage osteochondrosis is a very common disease, leading to the destruction of discs by the age of 25 years.

In general, the destruction process, leading to the appearance of a crunch in the neck when turning the head, goes through the following stages:

the diffuse exchange of fluids between the spinal discs and the surrounding muscle tissues is disrupted (this is facilitated by the lack of regular physical activity and prolonged static tension of the neck and collar area);
the fibrous ring, which is a kind of shell of the intervertebral disc, loses its flexibility and elasticity due to dehydration;
it strives to compensate for the loss of moisture by obtaining it from the internal nucleus pulposus, which has a gelatinous jelly-like structure;
a decrease in the volume of the nucleus pulposus further reduces the shock-absorbing capacity of the intervertebral disc and leads to its rapid destruction;
small cracks form on the surface of the fibrous ring, which are filled with deposits of calcium salts (even at this stage of the disease, a characteristic crunch in the neck may occur when turning the head);
then the disc deforms in the form of a protrusion with an increase in area and a decrease in height;
The final stage of osteochondrosis is a herniated disc.

This can be caused by risk factors that every modern person should exclude from their lives in order to effectively prevent the development of osteochondrosis. Such provocative aspects include:

a sedentary lifestyle without regular physical activity on all the muscles of the back, collar area and neck;
an incorrectly formulated diet, in which carbohydrates are present in excess, blocking blood microcirculation in the muscles, and there are no vitamins and minerals necessary for the restoration of cartilage tissue;
excess body weight;
poor posture and habit of slouching;
poor organization of sleeping and working spaces;
smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages;
injuries to the neck and collar area.

All these factors should be excluded if possible. If you don’t know how to do this, seek advice from an experienced specialist. In our manual therapy clinic you can receive such a consultation for free.

How does a crunch in the cervical spine appear when you turn your head?

There are several distinctive features of how a crunch in the cervical region manifests itself when turning the head - they make it possible to distinguish the symptom of cervical osteochondrosis from the manifestation of vascular pathologies. The first thing you should pay attention to is the subjectivity and objectivity of symptom perception. if the crunch is clearly audible from the side, then this is an objectively present symptom. It most likely accompanies the destruction of intervertebral discs.

If a crunch when turning the head is heard only by the patient himself, then this may be a sign of damage to the cerebral blood vessels in the neck area. This often happens due to their narrowing, tortuosity, and deposition of atherosclerotic plaques.

The second distinguishing symptom is headaches. if the crunch is of vertebral origin, then there is a high probability that it will be accompanied by periodic headaches, localized mainly in the occipital part of the head. There is no other location of headache with cervical osteochondrosis. But with vascular pathologies, the headache can be of a girdling, compressive nature. It can be in the temple, crown, frontal lobes.

The third distinguishing feature is the presence of additional symptoms typical of a particular disease. So, for cervical osteochondrosis the classic signs are:

pain in the neck and collar area;
muscle tension in the neck and shoulders;
stiffness of movements;
pain in the shoulder and upper limb on the side of the radicular nerve lesion;
numbness of the arm and decreased muscle strength in it.

If at least some of these symptoms are present, then it can be assumed that the crunch in the neck when turning the head is caused by damage to the spinal column.

Why is there a crunching sound in the back of the head, neck and ears when you turn your head?

An unpleasant crunch in the back of the head when turning the head is a symptom of damage to the foramina through which the posterior vertebral arteries pass. This gives extremely unpleasant symptoms. Most patients with posterior vertebral artery syndrome complain of constant headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, and decreased mental performance.

It is quite difficult to understand why a crunch in the neck occurs when you turn your head - this requires special differential diagnosis. The first thing you need to do is an x-ray of the cervical spine. If no pathological changes are detected, then angiography of large blood vessels is indicated. If their tortuosity and local narrowings are detected, an exclusionary diagnosis of vascular pathologies and posterior vertebral artery syndrome is carried out.

Crunching in the ears when turning the head is a symptom of damage to the upper cervical vertebrae. There is no cartilaginous intervertebral disc between the first and second cervical vertebrae. Therefore, bone growths and partial fusion of the vertebral bodies are possible in this joint. It is this condition that leads to the appearance of corresponding extraneous sounds.

It is worth paying attention to the following typical signs of damage to the upper two cervical vertebrae:

a crunch appears when the head is tilted forward and backward;
when you turn your head, it may be accompanied by a slight click;
after several movements back and forth and left and right, the symptom goes away;
after a long static load, the crunch appears again;
may be accompanied by dizziness and nausea;
there is often a visual disturbance, which is expressed in the inability to focus the gaze for several minutes, then everything goes away.

If such symptoms appear, you should immediately contact a vertebrologist or chiropractor. These are extremely negative signs of the development of serious pathology in the upper part of the cervical spine.

Treatment of a crunch in the neck when turning the head

If there is a crunch in the neck when turning the head, treatment should begin with a thorough diagnosis and an accurate diagnosis. Then the doctor’s efforts will be aimed at treating the disease, the symptom of which is a crunch in the neck.

For osteochondrosis and vertebral artery syndrome, effective manual therapy techniques can be used. Unlike official medicine, which offers patients mainly symptomatic treatment methods, a chiropractor uses only those techniques that allow the restoration of the normal state of cartilaginous intervertebral discs.

The following methods will help you do this:

osteopathy and massage help restore impaired blood circulation and microcirculation of lymphatic fluid in the affected area;
therapeutic exercises and kinesiotherapy strengthen the muscles of the neck and collar area;
traction traction will help increase the spaces between the vertebral bodies;
reflexology starts the process of tissue regeneration.

If you want to receive an effective and safe course of treatment for a crunching sound in the neck when you turn your head, then make an appointment for your first free appointment at our manual therapy clinic. During the consultation, the doctor will talk about all the possibilities and prospects of therapy. In the future, an individual course of treatment can be developed for you.

Some people hear a characteristic crunch when turning their neck; it has no gender and occurs in both men and women. What causes it, what to do, why it is dangerous, what diseases it is associated with, we will consider all these questions in our article.

The neck is an organ that connects the brain with other organs. Without a neck, it is impossible to turn the head and bend.

The basis of the connecting organ is formed by seven vertebrae, interconnected by vertebral discs, articular and muscle tissue, nerve fibers and tendons. Due to its versatility, this organ has a strong vulnerability.

Causes of a crunch in the neck

Even today, with developed medicine, the causes of neck crunching have not been fully studied. The reasons can be completely different. Modern medicine considers nine official reasons:

Crunch in a child's neck

Occurs as a result of hypermobility of the joints of the spine, in which case not only the neck, but also other joints crack. There is another more serious reason - congenital abnormalities in the development of connective tissues. In such cases, doctors prescribe massage and exercise therapy.

Symptomatic manifestations of a crunch in the neck

The most important symptom is a characteristic pain sensation. This pathology causes the following unpleasant sensations:

- severe headaches, mainly in the occipital region;
- dizziness;
- nausea and vomiting;
- feeling of weakness and general malaise;
- tinnitus;
- pain in the heart area;
- stiffness in movements;
- pain in the shoulder blades;
- changes in blood pressure;
- numbness of the skin on the face.

If you have these symptoms, you must definitely visit a doctor in order to quickly determine treatment measures.

Which doctor should I contact?

If an uncharacteristic sound appears in the cervical spine, you should contact a specialist.

First of all, you should make an appointment with a therapist; the following specialists will also help you understand this problem: a neurologist, an orthopedist, a neurosurgeon and a traumatologist.

If pain appears due to nervous tension, then a neck crunch will help solve the problem. neurologist.

If possible, it would be better to visit vertebrologist, this specialist who treats the spinal column. The problem is that this specialist is only available in large cities.

Diagnosis

At the appointment, the doctor must collect the necessary medical history in order to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.

It is possible to diagnose the cervical spine using the following methods:

- X-ray;
- ultrasound examination;
— computed tomography;
— MRI;
- Doppler ultrasound.

Therapeutic treatment

Since a neck crunch can be a symptom of certain diseases, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment after a full examination.

If the crunch is not associated with health problems, then an increase in physical activity is recommended, for example, regular walks in the fresh air, special exercises, and swimming. In some cases, wearing a medical corset is prescribed.

For degenerative-dystrophic disorders, treatment is concentrated on the disease itself, and the patient is shown the following treatment:

- taking medications;
— exercise therapy;
— physiotherapeutic treatment;
- massage;
— surgical intervention;
— acupuncture;
— carrying out treatment in a health resort.

Prevention

How to prevent pathology?

In fact, it is not difficult to do this; for this you need to follow preventive measures, such as:

Physical activity

There is no way to do without this point.

It is necessary to exercise daily, and if you have a sedentary lifestyle, short breaks for a walk are recommended to avoid discomfort.

If you feel that your neck is under excessive tension, you need to change your body position and perform a series of exercises for the cervical spine.

Swimming

Diet

Eliminate fatty foods completely from your diet.

Exercise therapy

Taking massage courses will help relax muscles and reduce pain.

Exercises

Below are simple exercises that you can do at home every day:

While in an upright position, slowly tilt your head to the left so that your left ear touches your left shoulder. Stay in this position for 15-25 seconds, then return to the starting position. Perform five approaches on the left and right sides in this way.
We tilt our head to the left, when the ear and shoulder touch, you need to turn your neck slightly in front to look at the floor. Maintain this position for 10-15 seconds. Perform repetitions on each side five times.
Tilt your head to the left, after your ear approaches your shoulder, tilt your head back and look at the ceiling, maintain this position for 10-15 seconds, then return to the starting position. And perform five approaches on each side.
Sit up straight and slowly and carefully rotate your head, first to the right, then to the left, trying to lower your chin as low as possible. The exercise takes about two minutes. It must be repeated three times a day.

As we see, there can be many reasons for a crunch in the neck; if the symptoms described above occur, consultation with a specialist is necessary.