It happens that a child has a neck pain. It can be a messenger of pathology. Do not overlook such a symptom, believing that the pain will soon go away on its own. From the article, the reader will learn why the child has a neck pain on one side, and whether such a condition can be dangerous.
The child's neck hurts from behind
Causes of pain
Neck pain can bother a child for a variety of reasons.
Muscle spasm
With a spasm of the muscles of the neck, vessels, nerves and tissues are pinched. This phenomenon is combined with a very sharp, sometimes unbearable pain. Muscle spasm usually appears in the spring when the child is not dressed for the weather. Because of a cold, muscles and nerves suffer, and the inflammatory process intensifies.
Intervertebral hernia
Herniated discs can develop as a result of:
- spinal injury;
- posture disorders;
- underdevelopment of bone and muscle tissue;
- connective tissue diseases;
- metabolic disorders;
- infections;
- some hereditary diseases.
The main symptoms of an intervertebral hernia in a baby:
- severe and sharp pain in the neck;
- in the spine, you can notice small hernial protrusions;
- pain increases with physical activity or exercise.
Tension headache
This is a headache that occurs in response to emotional stress or prolonged uncomfortable posture. It also arises from:
- cold activities, including swimming in cold water;
- wearing thick hats and headbands.
Due to a tension headache, there may be an unpleasant sensation in the neck area, the baby cannot turn it.
Pain as a symptom of torticollis
In some babies, after birth, there is a slight tilt of the neck to the side. This provokes discomfort, tension of the facial muscles. Untreated torticollis inevitably leads to the development of scoliosis.
Torticollis
Important! You need to start treating torticollis from the age of 2 weeks.
Other causes of pain
Others factors due to which the child's neck hurts from behind are:
- Posture disorders. Because of this, the bones, cartilage tissues of the cervical spine are deformed. The main causes of curvature of the spine are a sedentary lifestyle and weakness in the neck muscles.
- Inflammation of the lymph nodes. In this case, it hurts the child to turn the neck. Lymph nodes can become inflamed due to infection, inflammation of the ear, throat, nose, thyroid disorders, and certain autoimmune diseases.
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. It develops as a complication after a viral or bacterial infection. Due to the inflammatory process, the amount of fluid in the joints increases, and cartilage is damaged.
- The use of certain drugs.
- Wrong position of the head during sleep and uncomfortable pillow.
Signs of serious illness
Pain in the neck can be a symptom of a serious medical condition.
Trauma result
Children can often be injured due to outdoor games. Pains of varying intensity appear due to bruises, sprains of ligaments and muscles.
Important! If the child has a neck pain and the discomfort is mild, they are forgotten. But the injury does not pass without a trace, over time, the crumbs may experience numbness of the limbs, dizziness and even loss of consciousness.
Pain as a manifestation of meningitis
Neck pain can be the cause of meningitis, an inflammation of the lining of the brain.
Typical posture for meningitis
Note! Meningitis is more common in babies under the age of five.
Pathology begins with a general malaise. Vomiting and high fever shortly join it. Head pains intensify, the neck becomes very painful. In newborns, the fontanelle protrudes due to increased intracranial pressure.
Viral meningitis often presents with mild symptoms and is uneventful. Meningococcal infection is much more dangerous. Untimely treatment of it leads to severe disruption of the brain and even death.
Tick bites
When a child has a neck ache, it could be a sign of Lyme disease, spread by tick bites.
Diagnostics
The most common method of examining a child is ultrasound. It is shown at any age. Compared to X-ray, ultrasound is not harmful to the body. Most often, ultrasound is done for infants. The survey is shown when:
- pain in the neck and back;
- posture disorders;
- dizziness and headaches;
- dysfunction of the limbs;
- gait disorders.
Ultrasound of the neck for a child
The spine examination takes up to 20 minutes. At the same time, the child is in a prone position. During the examination, the baby can roll over on its side or sit down. For the purpose of examining the cervical spine, the child should lie or sit, leaning slightly downward. The doctor applies a special gel to the area to be examined.
Ultrasound allows you to diagnose the following diseases:
- osteochondrosis;
- protrusion;
- weakness of the ligamentous apparatus;
- fracture or dislocation;
- rupture of ligaments and muscles;
- torticollis;
- vascular anomalies;
- occlusion (blockage) of an artery;
- vertebral artery syndrome (manifested by signs of cerebral ischemia);
- spondylolisthesis (displacement of the vertebrae relative to each other).
First aid
Note! First aid cannot be provided if meningitis is suspected - the child must be urgently taken to the hospital.
How to examine a baby's neck
In case of injury, parents can examine the baby's neck on their own. After examining the skin for signs of injury, ask the child to sit down, looking in front of you. In this position, he needs to tilt his head to one side, then to the other.
It is necessary to observe the child, how he eats. This will provide an opportunity to detect signs of muscle weakness. At the same time, ask if he feels numbness, tingling, weakness in the neck. If there are similar symptoms, you need to show it to your doctor.
You need to look closely to see if the child turns his head to the side and sits constantly in one place. This symptom may indicate neck pain, nerve damage.
Helping the child at home
At home, ice can be applied to the neck. Then the affected area is warmed up with a compress of alcohol or vodka. These actions can reduce the intensity of the pain syndrome on the left or right.
Neck compress
To relieve pain, it is recommended to make folk remedies:
- Water infusion of a series. To obtain it, you need to pour a tablespoon of dry chopped herbs into a glass of 200 ml of boiling water. Insist 3 hours and drain. The kid should drink infusion of 50 ml before meals.
- Heat the sunflower oil and add some burdock leaves to it. Soak for half an hour over low heat. Strain and cool the oil, apply it to the affected neck area as an ointment.
- Mix egg yolk and a teaspoon of turpentine, pour in the same volume of apple cider vinegar. Rub into the neck with light massage movements to the right and left.
- If the baby has no meningitis, then he can be given Nurofen or Ibuprofen.
- Instead of a pillow, you can put a towel or soft collar under your neck.
- It is necessary for the child to tilt his head to the left shoulder until he feels a stretch, and hold this position for about half a minute. Then repeat the same for the right side.
You can also help your child by:
- taking a warm bath;
- light rubbing of the neck;
- daily physical exercise (the child should try to reach with his chin, ear to each shoulder).
Indications for immediate medical consultation
The child must be taken to the doctor immediately if the following symptoms appear:
- a sharp increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees and above;
- very severe headache;
- persistence of severe pain for more than two hours after taking pain relievers;
- confusion and delirium;
- nausea, turning into vomiting;
- severe pain in the abdominal cavity;
- body aches;
- sensitivity to light.
These signs may indicate the development of meningitis in the child.
You also need to make an appointment with a doctor if you experience such symptoms:
- unexplained pain that lasts several days;
- painful sensations disappear, then resume again;
- the baby cannot move, prefers to be in one position.
Which doctor to contact
If a child complains of neck pain, the first step is to see a pediatrician or general practitioner. He will determine the next steps.
Reception of the baby by the pediatrician
Note. To determine the cause of the appearance of unpleasant sensations, you may need to consult a neuropathologist, rheumatologist, traumatologist, and other narrow specialists.
If a child has pain in the neck, this sometimes indicates the development of dangerous pathologies. To exclude them, you need to show the baby to the doctor as soon as possible. The health of the baby depends on timely treatment.
