Neck Pain

Neck pain (or cervicalgia) is a common problem, with two-thirds of the population experiencing neck pain at some point in their lives. It may arise due to muscular tightness or joint disruption in both the neck and upper back or pinching of the nerves emanating from the cervical vertebrae. The vertebral joints in the neck and those of the upper back create a supportive structure for the head to sit upon. If this support system is affected adversely, then the muscles in the area can tighten and lead to neck pain.
Other potential causes of neck pain include:
- Over-use – muscular strain is one of the most common causes
- Chronic partial rotator cuff tears
- Spondylosis
- Spinal stenosis
- Herniated disc
- Pinched nerve
- Injuries and falls – car accidents, sporting events etc.
- Chronic Stress – physical and emotional
- Referred pain from other parts of the body
- Carotid artery dissection
- Head and neck cancer
Treatment
If a patient finds that their pain is persisting despite conservative treatments, more targeted medications can be prescribed such as muscle relaxants, topical anti-inflammatories, or even anticonvulsants which are known to control nerve pain.
If the patient finds that medication alone is not controlling their pain, there are many minimally invasive procedures that target the source of their cervicalgia. Treatments such as Epidural steroid injections, Radiofrequency ablations, nerve branch blocks, can be used as a last resort option.
Conditions
- Arthritis
- Cancer Pain
- Chronic Pelvic Pain
- Chronic Abdominal Pain
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Compression Fractures of the Spine
- Diabetic Neuropathy
- Fibromyalgia
- Herniated Discs
- Knee Pain
- Low Back Pain
- Migraine Headaches
- Neck Pain
- Neuropathy
- Post Laminectomy Syndrome
- Shoulder Pain
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Whiplash CAD
Treatments
- Botox Injection
- Capsaicin (8%) Patch
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Disc Nucleoplasty
- Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulator (DRG)
- Endoscopic Discectomy
- Facet Joint Syndrome
- Hip Joint Injections
- Intrathecal Pain Pump
- Intercostal Nerve Block
- Ketamine Infusion
- Knee Joint Injection
- Kyphoplasty
- Lidocaine Infusion
- Lumbar Epidural Spinal Injection (LESI)
- Lumbar Sympathetic Ganglion Block
- Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy
- Minuteman Procedure
- Medial Branch Block (MBB)
- Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression (MILD)
- Platelet Rich Plasma
- Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
- ReActiv8 Procedure
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
- Regenerative Medicine
- SI Joint Injection
- Stellate Ganglion Block
- Sympathetic Nerve Block
- Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)
- Trigger Point Injection
- Transforaminal Epidural Spinal Injection (TFESI)
- Vertebroplasty
- Vertiflex Procedure