Neck Pain

What causes neck pain?

Sudden (acute) neck pain often occurs when you pull the muscles or injure your neck. Whiplash, the most common neck injury, is caused by a blow to your head or body that forces your head to snap back and forth.

Age-related degeneration frequently causes long-lasting (chronic) neck pain. The discs, vertebrae, and spinal ligaments deteriorate as you age, causing conditions such as:

• Herniated discs
• Spinal arthritis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal stenosis
• Pinched nerves (radiculopathy)
• Spondylolisthesis (slipped vertebra)

These conditions often push against (pinch) the nerves.

What other symptoms will I have with neck pain?

Neck pain is frequently accompanied by severely limited movement and headaches. Pinched nerves cause additional symptoms, sending pain and tingling or burning sensations down your arm. Severe nerve damage results in arm and hand numbness and muscle weakness.

How is neck pain diagnosed?

Your provider learns about your symptoms and performs a complete physical and neurological exam. They may need diagnostic imaging to see damage or inflammation.

You may also undergo diagnostic testing like electromyography (EMG) and a nerve conduction study (NCS). These tests identify the electrical activity in nerves and muscles.

How is neck pain treated?

As specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation and pain medicine, the providers at the Centers of Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine offer comprehensive care for neck pain.

If you haven’t already received treatment, your provider may recommend anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications, activity modification, and physical therapy. If these treatments don’t improve your pain, they recommend specialized treatments targeting the source of the problem.

Your neck pain treatment may include:

Epidural steroid injections

Your provider injects a steroid and a local anesthetic into the space surrounding your spine.

Spinal cord stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation uses a mild electrical impulse, preventing pain messages from reaching the brain. The electrical stimulation targets specific nerves in your spine, allowing this treatment to decrease pain originating anywhere in your body.

Radiofrequency ablation

Using a needle-like instrument, your provider sends radiofrequency energy into a nerve, creating a wound that stops pain messages. Radiofrequency ablation produces long-lasting pain relief because it blocks the nerve until the wound heals.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections

PRP is a regenerative medicine treatment using platelets obtained from your blood to stimulate healing and reduce inflammation.

Schedule a neck pain consultation by calling the Centers of Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine or connecting online today.