Neck Pain

How does my neck work?

Your neck is the most flexible part of your spine, but this freedom of movement also means it has less support and protection than the rest of your spine.

The top part of your spine that forms your neck is called the cervical spine. It consists of vertebrae that link together to form the first section of your spinal column. In-between each set of vertebrae is a spongy disc that absorbs any shock waves traveling through your spine.

There are also connective tissues – ligaments and tendons – and muscles, as well as the nerves that make up your spinal cord and exit through your vertebrae.

Neck pain might be due to an acute injury, damage that develops over time, or the chronic deterioration of the tissues in your neck.

What causes neck pain?

Numerous conditions can result in neck pain. One of the most common is whiplash, also known as cervical acceleration/deceleration (CAD) syndrome. Other causes of neck pain include:

• Sports injuries
• Bone spurs
• Osteoarthritis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Herniated or bulging discs
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Spondylosis
• Osteoporosis
• Spinal stenosis
• Cervical radiculopathy

You could easily pull a muscle in your neck by sleeping in an odd position or moving your neck awkwardly. Mild neck pain might improve quickly with rest and gentle movement, but if your pain isn't getting better or is causing more severe discomfort, you should contact Pain Physicians NY.

How is neck pain treated?

The Pain Physicians NY team typically approaches treatment for neck pain using noninvasive therapies. Your treatment plan could include:

• Rest
• Physical therapy
• Pain-relieving medication
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Chiropractic care
• Regenerative medicine
• Laser therapy
• Intravenous ketamine
• Trigger point therapy

If your neck pain persists despite following this treatment program, your provider at Pain Physicians NY can offer several minimally invasive alternatives:

Steroid injections

Steroid injections have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and may also contain an anesthetic for short-term pain relief. Facet joint injections go into the small joints between the vertebrae. Medial branch blocks target the small medial branch nerves that transmit pain signals from your facet joints to your brain.

If your neck pain improves significantly following a steroid injection, it confirms the facet joints as the source of your pain. You might, therefore, benefit from radiofrequency ablation treatment.

Radiofrequency ablation

This involves using radiofrequency energy to destroy the medial branch nerves. After treatment, the nerves can no longer send pain signals to your brain, effectively relieving your discomfort. To ensure the most precise delivery of the radiofrequency energy, your provider at Pain Physicians NY uses a special kind of moving X-ray called fluoroscopy to guide them.

If these techniques aren't successful in resolving your neck pain, you might benefit from minimally invasive surgery.

For the effective treatment of neck pain, call Pain Physicians NY today or book an appointment online.