Neck Pain

What causes neck pain?

Neck pain can be the result of an acute injury, muscle strains, or an underlying degenerative condition. When you have a muscle strain or other acute injury, you may find that your pain resolves with home care and rest within a few days.

However, if you have recurrent neck pain or pain that persists even with treatment, you may have a more serious condition like:

Arthritis

Arthritis is a degenerative condition that causes the breakdown of your spinal joints. Damaged joints in your cervical (upper) spine can pinch nerves in your neck that leads to persistent pain and limited range of motion.

Whiplash

Whiplash is a type of neck injury that results when your head moves forcefully back and forth, often during an auto accident or other type of high-impact event.

Herniated disc

Within your spine are protective, gel-filled discs that sit between the vertebrae of your spine and absorb the shocks of your movements.

When damaged, the center of the disc can push outward and press on surrounding nerves, causing inflammation and pain in your neck that also radiates down into your arms.

Stingers

Stingers (also known as burners) are injuries that affect the brachial plexus, a system of nerves that provide sensations to your shoulder, arm, and hand.

Stingers often result from a contact sport that causes overstretching in your neck and shoulder muscles and pressure on your nerves that lead to loss of sensation in your arm on one side of your body.

When should I seek help for neck pain?

You should not delay a medical evaluation for neck pain if it lasts longer than six weeks and isn’t getting better with rest and over-the-counter medications. 

You should also schedule an appointment with the Performance Pain and Sports Medicine team if your neck pain is severe enough to interfere with your usual activities and your quality of life.

How is neck pain treated?

If over-the-counter or prescription medications are not enough to relieve chronic neck pain and improve your range of motion, the team at Performance Pain and Sports Medicine customizes a treatment plan based on your condition that focuses on nonsurgical therapies.

Treatment may include regenerative therapies using stem cells and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). These natural substances are already in your blood and stimulate your body’s production of new, healthy cells. These new cells replace damaged discs and vertebrae in your cervical spine to relieve pain and improve neck mobility.

Other available options for chronic neck pain relief include:

• Facet Joint Injections
• Trigger Point Injections
• Radiofrequency Ablation
• Discseel® Procedure
• Spinal Cord Stimulation
• Epidural Steroid Injections
• Medial Branch Block
• Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
• Prolotherapy
• Chemodenervation

To find out which treatment is right for your chronic neck pain, call to schedule an evaluation today. Count on your doctor at Performance Pain and Sports Medicine to take the time to go over your situation with you in determining the most accurate diagnosis.