Cervical Spasm: Symptoms, Causes, and Precautions

Some people may experience cervical discomfort due to prolonged sitting or poor sleeping posture. Cervical spasm, a common manifestation of this discomfort, often stems from compression of surrounding tissues caused by cervical deformity. This condition can significantly disrupt a patient's daily life and trigger various adverse symptoms. Therefore, it is imperative for patients to rest regularly, avoid excessive fatigue, and engage in regular physical activities.

I. Symptoms of Cervical Spasm

1. Dizziness and Headache: These are prevalent symptoms of cervical spondylosis, often accompanied by insomnia and nausea. In acute cases, patients may struggle to raise their heads.

2. Swallowing Difficulties: Arising from direct compression of the esophagus's posterior wall by the anterior edge of the cervical vertebra, this can lead to esophageal stenosis and symptoms such as a sensation of obstruction during swallowing, a foreign body feeling in the esophagus, nausea, vomiting, hoarseness, dry cough, and chest tightness.

3. Shoulder Pain and Stiffness: Cervical spondylosis can cause pain, stiffness, heaviness in the shoulders, neck muscle spasms, and tenderness upon pressing the neck. These are common shoulder manifestations in cervical spondylosis patients. Excessive fatigue, prolonged sitting, and improper posture can exacerbate these symptoms.

II. Causes

The primary causes of cervical spasm encompass chronic cervical strain, bone hyperplasia, disc herniation, and ligament thickening. These conditions compress the cervical spinal cord, nerve roots, or vertebral arteries, leading to a series of clinical syndromes marked by functional impairments. These syndromes manifest as degenerative changes in the cervical discs themselves and their secondary pathological changes, such as instability and loosening of vertebral segments, protrusion or herniation of the nucleus pulposus, bone spur formation, ligament hypertrophy, and secondary stenosis of the vertebral canal. These alterations can irritate or compress adjacent nerve roots, the spinal cord, vertebral arteries, and cervical sympathetic nerves, resulting in diverse symptoms and signs.

III. Precautions

When implementing self-care measures for cervical spasm, it is crucial to ensure that the techniques are tolerable and comfortable. Regular practice, once or twice daily, is recommended. If you experience persistent cervical spasm, attempting the aforementioned massage techniques can alleviate discomfort. Additionally, maintaining proper sitting posture, selecting an appropriate pillow for sleep, and minimizing activities that strain the cervical spine can help reduce further damage. Regular neck exercises promote local blood circulation, beneficial for improving cervical spasm.