Neck pain occurs due to various reasons, such as traumatic injury or poor posture. When you experience neck pain, you should visit Dr. Adam Lewis Flowood, for an accurate diagnosis of what is causing you pain. Whether you have chronic or occasional neck pain, treatment options are available.
You can experience other symptoms with nerve pain, including muscle spasms, tingling, numbness, and loss of function.
Causes of neck pain
Sometimes neck pain is not a serious problem if it occurs due to bad sleeping habits because once you correct that, your pain will go away. However, there are causes of neck pain that require medical intervention, and they include:
Nerve irritation
Neck pain can occur when the nerve pathways in the cervical vertebrae at the top of your spine are pinched or irritated. Nerve irritation happens if you have a bulging disc or the spinal canal in your neck is narrowing, a condition called spinal stenosis.
Chronic conditions
Chronic conditions like degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis can cause neck pain because the diseases can affect your spine or bones. When you have weak bones, you can fully support your body.
Trauma
Neck pain from trauma can occur from a direct blow to your neck or an accident. You can slip and fall or injure your neck following a car accident. Protecting yourself if you play contact sports or when driving is crucial.
Being unfit
If you lead a sedentary life, you can easily weaken your core muscles and become overweight. Weak core muscles will affect your posture because you might slump or hunch over when you sit.
Treatment options
Your treatment option will depend on the cause of your neck pain and symptoms. During the consultation, your specialist will perform a physical examination after reviewing your medical history. Remember that if you have neck pain due to nerve irritation, you will receive a different treatment plan from someone with a chronic illness.
The following are common treatment methods for neck pain:
Physical therapy
Your doctor can subject you to exercises and stretches to relax your neck muscles. On the other hand, you can have a physical therapist massage your neck to release tension that might make your muscles stiff.
Medications
Common medicines include painkillers which alleviate your pain. Other medications include trigger point injections or epidural injections. Your specialist will identify specific pain points in your neck when you apply pressure. Your specialist can offer anesthesia first before administering the injections.
Surgery
If conservative treatments don’t work, your doctor can recommend surgical procedures as a last resort. The surgeries aim to remove and replace damaged spinal discs or relieve compressed nerves.
Common neck pain surgeries include:
- Anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion
- Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion
- Cervical artificial disc replacement
- Anterior lumbar interbody fusion
- Posterior cervical laminectomy
- DTRAX posterior cervical decompression and stabilization
If you have ongoing neck pain despite pain relieving methods, visit Jackson Neurosurgery Clinic for treatment. Dr. Lewis and his team will evaluate your condition and offer the most suitable treatment. Call or schedule your appointment online to improve your quality of life.