Our Services / Neck Pain

What causes neck pain?

Many problems can lead to neck pain. Some common causes include:

Nerve irritation

Irritation or pinching along the nerve pathways in the cervical vertebrae at the top of your spine can cause neck pain. Pinching can happen if you have a herniated disc or cervical stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck).

Trauma

Injuries from work or auto accidents, sporting activities, and falls can cause neck pain. Whiplash, where the head moves violently forward and backward, is the most common traumatic neck injury. Overdoing exercise or exerting yourself beyond your fitness levels causes injuries like muscle strains.

Chronic conditions

Chronic (long-term) conditions include disorders like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and degenerative disc disease.

Being unfit

Weak stomach muscles (which often happens when your posture is poor) and being overweight can contribute to neck pain. Chronic stress puts tension on your neck muscles, tightening them and causing pain.

Rare causes of neck pain include spinal fractures, infections, and tumors.

What symptoms might I have with neck pain?

Neck pain ranges from mild to severe. You might experience other symptoms, including:

• Stiffness
• Muscle spasms
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Weakness
• Loss of function

You might have difficulty moving your neck and head after sitting or sleeping in the same position for long periods. When moving your neck, you could hear grating or clicking noises (crepitus). You might lose consciousness or feel dizzy when turning your head from side to side or looking up.

How is neck pain treated?

Resting for several days often relieves neck pain. If it doesn’t, Jackson Neurosurgery Clinic can help. Your doctor can prescribe medicine to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. A neck collar offers extra support if you need it. Physical therapy is effective for many patients.

If these treatments aren’t helping, trigger point injections or epidural steroid injections could reduce your neck pain. While not always needed for neck pain, surgery could be an option when nothing else works. Surgeries for neck pain include:

• Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)
• Anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion
• Anterior lumbar interbody fusion
• Cervical artificial disc replacement
• Posterior cervical laminectomy
• DTRAX® posterior cervical decompression and stabilization

Spinal decompression might be needed if your neck structures are pressing on or irritating the nerves in your spine.

Call Jackson Neurosurgery Clinic today or book an appointment online to find an effective treatment for your neck pain.