Neck pain is one of the most common health problems doctors come across. The neck region is among the highest mobile parts of the body that makes it prone to injuries. Neck pain can affect all aspects of your life, including dressing up, driving a car and more. The neck has a complex network of bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. It is designed for strength, movement, stability and nerve communication. While the cervical vertebrae extend to the upper torso from the base, the cervical discs function as shock absorbers between the vertebrae. The neck helps in the motion of the head and provides it with the necessary support. A minor abnormality in the neck like an injury or inflammation can cause pain or stiffness. Doctors suggest neck pain treatment based on several factors that contribute to neck pain.
Symptoms Of Neck Pain
There is no specific time frame in which neck pain may occur. It can happen all of a sudden or several factors may contribute over a period that eventually causes pain and stiffness. Symptoms may include sharp pain, stiff neck, pain radiating into the arm and up into the head. You may also feel numbness, tingling, weakness and even headache.
Causes Of Neck Pain
Long working hours, wrong posture, and sudden jerk on the neck, inflammation in the muscles or nerves, weak bones, and other factors may cause neck pain. In some cases, after an operation, neck pain may persist even after the affected tissue is adequately healed. In such cases, you may need medication or rehabilitation therapy to get rid of the pain. Severe heart conditions like angina and heart attack can cause long term neck pain.
Diagnosis Of Neck Pain
The doctor may prescribe several tests, including X-Ray, CT scan or MRI to know more about the reasons behind the neck pain. Based on the results, the doctor will suggest neck pain treatment.
Neck Pain Treatment
Based on the causes and intensity of the pain, there are several remedies available. The procedure for chronic neck pain may include a combination of both non-drug and drug-based treatments.
- Alternate remedies: Options like hot and cold packs, massage therapy can help in easing minor neck pain.
- Medication: There are several over the counter medications available that can help in reducing the pain. These medicines include muscle relaxants and pain killers. Some creams also help in easing the pain. However, it is suggested to consult a doctor before taking any medication.
- Injection therapy: If the patient is suffering from chronic pain, neck pain treatment may include injection therapies. In such treatment, the doctor uses nerve blockers, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and epidural and nerve root steroid injections to ease the pain. These therapies are mostly focused on various structures that are causing the pain or making it worse.
- Surgery: In extreme conditions where tests show that structural changes cause the pain, the doctor will prescribe surgery. In such cases, all other remedies and treatments fail to help the patient. The spinal surgeon or a neurosurgeon performs these surgeries.
- Rehabilitation: While the treatment is going on for chronic pain, it is essential to have rehabilitation therapy. It will help the patient to get back to normal day-to-day life quickly.
In today’s time, when we spend a lot of time sitting in the office, it is normal to have neck pain. Bad posture, badly designed furniture and lack of neck exercise make the situation worse. It is important to consult the doctor in time before neck pain becomes chronic Please keep in mind that you should not take any neck pain treatment, medication-based or otherwise without consulting your doctor.
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