Neck pain is an uncomfortable feeling within the muscles or joints in your neck. Neck discomfort is a common problem, affecting more than 14% of adults in the United States. It might present as:

• Soreness
• Muscle spasms
• Reduced range of motion
• Pain when moving your head
• Muscle tightness
• Headache pain

Neck pain might feel like dull, aching discomfort or sharp pain. If neck pain negatively affects your everyday routine, see the experts at Lynx Healthcare for an evaluation.

Common causes of neck pain include:

• Worn joints
• Muscle strains
• Arthritis or other chronic diseases
• Nerve compression
• Degenerative disc disease
• Herniated disc
• Spinal stenosis
• Spondylosis
• Osteoporosis

You might experience neck pain after driving or working at a computer for long time periods, being in a car accident, or playing sports.

To diagnose neck pain and find its root cause, your Lynx Healthcare pain specialist reviews your medical history, asks about your symptoms, and examines your head, neck, shoulders, and back.

They might recommend you undergo a blood test, X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, or nerve conduction studies to find the most appropriate neck pain treatment.

Depending on the cause and severity of neck pain, your pain specialist might recommend one or more of the following treatments:

Lifestyle changes

Making specific lifestyle changes can help your neck feel better. Practice good posture, get regular exercise, sleep in a comfortable position, don’t smoke, and avoid carrying heavy bags on your shoulder. Adjust your computer desk and chair to optimize comfort.

Bracing

Wearing a neck brace until an injury heals might be all that’s needed to relieve neck pain, reduce inflammation, and restore range of motion over time.

Physical therapy

Your physical therapist can help you strengthen muscle and joint tissues to accelerate healing and alleviate neck pain.

Trigger point injections

Your pain specialist can inject anesthetic and steroids into trigger points, painful knots in targeted muscles in your neck.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)

PRP, sourced from your blood, consists of growth factors that accelerate healing in your neck and surrounding tissues.

Facet joint injections

During facet joint injections, your provider injects anesthetic and steroid medications into joints in your cervical spine.

Radiofrequency ablation

During radiofrequency ablation, your provider applies heat energy to specific nerves, blocking pain signals to your brain to ease neck pain.

Spinal cord stimulation

A spinal cord stimulator is a device your pain specialist can implant underneath your skin. The device sends electrical signals to the spinal cord to relieve discomfort.

Surgery

If non-surgical neck pain relief treatments haven’t worked, your provider might recommend you undergo surgery to achieve long-lasting relief. They may suggest anterior cervical discectomy, spinal fusion, laminectomy, or another procedure.

Don’t live with chronic neck pain when effective pain management solutions can offer you relief. Schedule an appointment with Lynx Healthcare by phone or online today.