The neck is composed of seven cervical vertebrae, which are stabilized by muscles, ligaments and tendons. This anatomical complex that makes up the cervical spine provides mobility and stabilization of the head, allowing us to move it in different planes.
More and more often, due to our stressful everyday life, stress accumulates in the neck area. This stress can cause feelings of stiffness and even pain. Many people find relief after a neck sprain. But what causes this cracking? We at Okto can give you several reasons that explain this "phenomenon":
This term is used to describe a process in which air bubbles form in liquids. The joints that connect the cervical spine are encased in a joint capsule. This joint capsule is filled with joint fluid. The joint fluid contains nitrogen and hydrogen dioxide, which form bubbles. Movement in the joints of the neck increase the pressure in the bubbles and cause them to burst. Cavitation is the main cause of the popping.
Ligaments, or ligaments, stabilize the joints and provide mobility in the joints. The vertebrae may have some more prominent areas and bumps on them where the ligaments clamp then release when the neck moves.
Diseases such as osteoporosis or osteoarthritis develop with age. After the age of 50, the discs between the vertebrae wear out and degenerate. The ligaments between them thicken and encroach between the bones, making the space between them smaller. This leads to a feeling of stiffness and pain in the neck and causes popping in older adults. Cervical spondylosis can also result from improper posture.
Side effects of neck cracking
Cricking the neck can lead to various unwanted side effects such as:
- Neck pain- Neck pain can reduce neck mobility after a certain time . This is due to the wear and tear of the articular cartilage lining the joints connecting the vertebrae and leads to degenerative changes characteristic of arthritis. This is expressed by inflammation and pain in the neck as the complaints increase with increasing pressure on the nerve structures.
- Osteoarthritis - frequent popping puts a lot of stress on the joints that make up the cervical spine, causing the ligaments to overstretch. This leads to instability and reduces the space between the vertebrae as at some point it can progress to osteoarthritis.
- Blood vessel injury - Important arteries supplying the brain with blood pass through the vertebrae. Cracking the neck risks rupturing or pinching these blood vessels, leading to severe conditions associated with impaired blood supply to the brain.
How to deal with a cracked neck?
- Exercises - The neck is often strained from the position of work, causing shortening of the muscles and restricting the natural movements of the neck. You can do stretching for these muscles by bending the head as much as possible so that the chin is against the chest. Hold this position for a few seconds, then relax and slowly return to the starting position.
- Movement in the joints - Execute movement in the neck by looking left and right, up and down. Movements should be slow and careful to avoid injury.
- Exercise for sternocleidomastoid- this is a large muscle located on either side of the neck that can cause pain. Gently stretch this muscle by looking as far to the sides and slightly back as possible. Do this for both sides.
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