What causes neck pain?
Neck pain can have many causes. There are numerous bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles in your neck that work in harmony to allow your neck and head to move freely. Any one of these mechanisms can suffer injury, and the cervical vertebrae are also subject to disease processes such as arthritis.
Neck pain frequently radiates into the shoulders and may affect your arms as well. The most usual causes of neck pain are:
- Bone or joint abnormalities
- Poor posture
- Injuries
- Nerve compression
- Muscle strains
- Degenerative disc disease
- Radiculopathy
- Spinal stenosis
- Arthritis
- Myofascial pain
- Whiplash injury
Your neck may become stiff and even immobile, causing severe pain and even making it impossible to move your head normally.
How is the cause of neck pain diagnosed?
When you visit your doctor, they review your medical history and discuss your symptoms with you to get an idea of what could be causing the problem. It’s useful to make a note before your appointment of any activities or positions that make the pain worse, and any that give some relief. You then have a physical exam so your doctor can feel the structures in your neck and isolate the source of your pain.
You may need to have diagnostic imaging tests such as X-Rays, a CT (computed tomography) scan, or an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan to identify damage or disease in the bones and muscles. Your doctor may also order a blood test to check for any underlying health conditions which may be causing your neck pain.
If your neck pain is spreading, or you also have a headache, weakness, tingling, or numbness anywhere, call Chicagoland Pain Management immediately.
What treatments are effective for neck pain?
Acute neck pain, when the pain comes on suddenly, is usually due to an injury such as a sprain or strain, but chronic pain that continues for months is more likely to be caused by damage to the nerves or spine. At Chicagoland Pain Management, the medical team has a number of treatment options for neck pain, such as:
- Painkilling and anti-inflammatory medications
- Physical therapy using specialized exercises and stretches
- Steroid injections for nerve pain
- Cervical medial branch blocks
- Cervical medial branch radiofrequency lesioning
- Cervical medial branch cooled radiofrequency lesioning
- Trigger point injections
If you have pain in your neck, don’t let it interfere with your life. Call Chicagoland Pain Management today to book an appointment, or use the online booking tool.
