Neck pain as the problem of our time

Abstract

During life, neck pain occurs in 20-70% of people, its prevalence in the total population is 4.9%, and the annual morbidity varies from 30 to 70%. Neck pain significantly reduces the quality of life and can lead to disability. It was found that the economic burden of neck pain is high and is associated with the amount of money spent on treatment, with «lost profits» due to employee illness, compensation for examinations and sick leave. Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the prevalence of neck pain, which increases the importance of improving the diagnostics, prevention and treatment of neck pain. Depending on the duration, neck pain is classified as acute, subacute and chronic. Neck pain may be non-specific (skeletal-muscular), secondary (specific, symptomatic) or associated with discogenic radiculopathy or cervical myelopathy. Nonspecific neck pain is the most common. Effective treatment of nonspecific neck pain includes therapeutic gymnastics, manual therapy, recommendations on lifestyle, activity and ergonomics in the organization of the workplace. Identification and correction of risk factors of neck pain occurrence, persistence and chronization are of great importance in the prevention and treatment of patients. Neck pain pharmacotherapy includes drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): lor-noxicam, which has shown its effectiveness and good tolerance in the treatment of neck pain, cervicocranialgia, postoperative and skeletal-muscular pain. It is recommended to prescribe a short course of NSAIDs therapy in minimal therapeutic doses. In the chronic course of neck pain, antidepressants may be prescribed, especially when combined with depression.