Neck pain can be caused by a variety of factors, from poor postures to more serious conditions such as herniated disks or cervical spine injuries. Neck pain, whether mild or severe can impact daily activities and quality of life. Maintaining health and functionality requires that you understand how to treat and manage this pain. Some neck pain cases resolve themselves, but others may require medical intervention.
Specialist doctors such as neurologists, orthopedic surgeons and pain management specialists offer different recommendations to diagnose and treat neck pain. They may use a combination conservative treatment, physical therapy, medication, or, in severe cases, surgery. This article will examine what neck pain specialists recommend.
1. Understanding Neck Pain
A specialist will determine the cause of neck pain before recommending a treatment. Neck pain is caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Muscle Tension or Strain: This is often caused by poor posture or sleeping in an awkward position.
- Degenerative Disc Disease Age-related wear on the neck spine can cause disc degeneration. This causes pain and stiffness.
- Herniated Disk: The bulging or herniated disc can cause pain to radiate down the arms.
- Cervical Radiculopathy: A pinched nerve in the cervical spine may cause pain, tingling or weakness of the arms, shoulders or neck.
- Injury Trauma caused by accidents such as whiplash in a car accident can cause chronic neck pain.
- Arthritis : Osteoarthritis of the cervical spine may cause discomfort and inflammation in the neck.
Doctors tailor treatment to the cause of pain after a thorough evaluation that may include a physical exam, imaging tests (like X rays or MRIs) and examining the patient’s history.
2. Conservative Treatments
Most often, doctors will first recommend conservative treatment before considering more invasive treatments. These treatments are aimed at relieving pain, reducing swelling, and promoting recovery. Conservative treatments include:
- Resting and Modifying Activities: Doctors advise doctors to rest the neck, and avoid activities that worsen the pain. You may need to take a break from physical activities, or limit screen time.
- Heat and Cold Therapy: Heat therapy relaxes stiff muscles and improves the blood flow in the neck.
- Over the Counter Medications : Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and aspirin, can be prescribed to reduce pain and inflammation. Acetaminophen can also be used to relieve pain, but it doesn’t have any anti-inflammatory properties.
- Topical analgesics For milder cases, doctors may recommend using over-the counter creams or gels containing menthol or capsaicin or other ingredients which provide temporary pain relief by applying to the skin.
3. Exercise and Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is often recommended by doctors as one of the best treatments for neck pain. A physical therapist will design a program that is tailored to your neck’s flexibility, strength, and posture. These exercises can help to reduce neck pain and prevent further episodes.
- Strengthening exercises: Exercises that target the muscles supporting the head can reduce tension and strain on the cervical spinal cord. Strong neck muscles can help evenly distribute the weight, preventing spinal overload.
- Stretching : Gentle stretching can improve flexibility and decrease stiffness in the head. Stretching can also help relieve tension in nearby muscles such as the ones in the upper back and shoulders.
- Posture correction: Neck pain is often caused by poor posture, such as from long periods of sitting at a computer or staring down at a mobile device. Physical therapists teach their patients to maintain a proper posture that can help prevent neck strain.
- Ergonomic adjustments: Specialists may also recommend ergonomic adjustments for daily routines and workspaces. It may be necessary to adjust the height of the computer screen, use supportive chairs or change the way you sleep in order to reduce neck strain.
4. Neck Pain Medications
Doctors may prescribe stronger neck pain medications if over-the-counter medication does not provide enough relief. They include:
- Prescription of NSAIDs : In cases of severe pain, doctors will prescribe stronger anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling and discomfort.
- Muscle Relaxants: If the neck pain is caused by muscle spasms, or tension, you may be prescribed muscle relaxants. These medications reduce muscle stiffness.
- Injections of Corticosteroids In cases when inflammation is causing pain, injections of corticosteroids can have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. These injections can be administered directly to the area of pain.
- Nerve pain Medications If neck pain is due to nerve irritation (as in the case of a herniated disk or pinched nerve), doctors may prescribe medications designed to reduce pain caused by nerves, such as pregabalin or gabapentin.
5. Alternative Treatments
Alternative therapies can be recommended by specialists to complement the traditional medical treatment. These therapies often aim to reduce pain, improve mobility and promote relaxation.
- Chiropractic Care Chiropractors perform spinal manipulations and adjustments to reduce neck pain and improve spine alignment. If they think spinal adjustments will help, some specialists will refer their patients to chiropractors.
- Acupuncture : Acupuncture is the use of thin needles to treat pain and heal. Acupuncture sessions can provide relief for some patients with chronic neck pain.
- Massage Therapy Therapeutic massage can relax tight muscles, reduce stress, and improve circulation. Patients with neck pain caused by muscle are often advised to try it.
- Yoga Practices and Mindfulness Practices : Yoga, mindfulness, and breathing exercises can help reduce stress, promote relaxation and relieve neck pain caused by tension or anxiety.
6. When Surgery is Necessary
Neck pain is usually treated conservatively, but for more severe cases surgery may be required. When neck pain persists despite non-invasive treatment, surgery may be considered.
Neck pain is treated by a variety of surgical procedures.
- Discectomy A procedure where part of a herniated disk is removed in order to relieve pressure on spinal cord or nerves.
- Spinal Fusion : When degenerative disc disease is present, spinal fusion can be recommended in order to stabilize the cervical spine.
- Laminectomy This procedure involves the removal of a part of the vertebra in order to increase the space available within the spinal canal. This can relieve nerve compression.
Neck pain can be mild discomfort or severe chronic pain that interferes with daily activities. Specialist doctors offer a variety of treatment options, from conservative methods like physical therapy or over-the counter medications to more complex interventions such as prescription drugs or surgery. Treatment plans will vary depending on the severity and cause of pain. Working with healthcare professionals can help people suffering from neck pain find relief and improve the quality of their lives.
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