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"Ouch, why does my neck hurt so much? Is it because I've been sitting for too long?" Huang Weijie grumbled, gently rubbing his neck.
Huang Weijie, 47 years old, is an ordinary accountant. In the last week, he began to experience neck pain, and his initial self-diagnosis was that it was a cervical spine problem caused by working long hours. However, what he didn't realize was that the neck pain this time was not a simple cervical spondylosis.
As time passed, Huang Weijie's pain did not subside as expected, and he began to feel the pain spread from his neck to his shoulders and even his arms. Despite this, he continued to work, hoping that his symptoms would be relieved by regular cervical exercises and warm compresses.
One night a week later, Huang Weijie suddenly felt a sharp headache, then became confused and hurriedly called the emergency number. But sadly, before the ambulance arrived, he died of a cerebral hemorrhage.
The sudden tragedy shocked Wong's family and friends. They couldn't understand why a seemingly healthy middle-aged man would suddenly die.
After the incident, the doctor conducted a detailed analysis and review of Huang Weijie's condition. Through careful examination of the medical records, the doctor found that Huang Weijie's neck pain was not a simple cervical spondylosis, but a serious complication caused by carotid artery dissection.
Carotid artery dissection is an extremely serious condition in which the lining of the main blood vessels in the neck is damaged, causing blood to form a hematoma between the inner and middle layers of the blood vessels, which in turn can cause insufficient blood supply to the brain or intracerebral hemorrhage.
Zhang Min, a neurosurgeon at the hospital, explained, "The early symptoms of carotid artery dissection may be very similar to cervical spondylosis, but they are much more dangerous than cervical spondylosis." If the pain worsens, or if the pain is accompanied by symptoms such as headache or blurred vision, you should seek medical help immediately. ”
Zhang Min emphasized that carotid artery dissection, although rare, is not uncommon in middle-aged people. Carotid artery dissection: In untreated cases, about 12% of patients develop life-threatening intracerebral hemorrhage. Therefore, for middle-aged people, they should be highly vigilant when they have unexplained neck pain, especially when the nature of the pain changes suddenly.
In Wong's case, if he had sought a professional medical evaluation at the early stage of the pain, there might have been an opportunity to avoid the tragedy through timely intervention. It is also a reminder that when facing health problems, it is important to seek professional advice in a timely manner rather than delay treatment based on self-judgment.
Dr. Zhang Min also highlighted a very important message: "When diagnosing cervical spine disease and carotid artery dissection, it is very important to use imaging techniques such as MRI or ultrasound. ”
"These techniques can help us see the details of the structure of the neck, especially the state of the blood vessels. She explains that many times, with these advanced imaging techniques, doctors are able to detect potentially serious problems in time for early intervention.
In her experience, Zhang Min has encountered many cases similar to Huang Weijie, and some of these patients have received effective treatment because of timely medical treatment. She often uses these cases to educate the public about the importance of timely medical attention.
"A lot of people may take a wait-and-see attitude towards neck pain, hoping that it will go away on its own. If the pain tends to worsen, especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms, the best option is to seek professional medical help. Zhang Min used her infectious tone to make every audience feel her sincerity and professionalism.
Through these in-depth explanations and real-life examples, Zhang hopes to raise awareness of the disease and reduce the unfortunate events caused by misdiagnosis or delayed treatment.
At the end of the presentation, one of the audience members asked, "Dr. Zhang, if I go for an MRI for neck pain and the doctor doesn't find any obvious cervical spine problems, how can I further ensure my safety?"
Zhang Min replied, "That's a good question. If the initial MRI does not reveal a problem, but your symptoms persist, I recommend further investigations, which may include ultrasonography of the carotid arteries or more detailed vascular imaging. Sometimes, minor problems may not go unnoticed during the initial examination. ”
"In addition, ongoing follow-up and re-evaluation is critical to ensure that no possible health risks are missed. In conclusion, maintaining open and ongoing communication with your doctor is an important step in ensuring your health. ”
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