Chronic Neck Pain Treatment

In Maryland Pennsylvania and Virginia


Neck pain is usually caused by overuse, bad posture, or injury; neck pain typically resolves on its own after a short period. If your pain does not resolve independently, you may need to seek a specialist. Pain and Spine Specialists doctors will thoroughly evaluate your neck pain symptoms and provide comprehensive treatment options to address your pain.

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When To See A Doctor for Neck Pain

Neck pain is a common issue that affects millions of people worldwide, impacting their daily life and overall quality of life. It can stem from various causes like personal injuries, muscle strains, age, herniated discs, Fibromyalgia, or stress. Neck pain can last a couple of days or continue for years. How long you experience pain and the severity of pain often depends on what is causing your neck pain.

Comprehensive pain management is an essential next step when pain symptoms are not resolving independently, regardless of what may be causing your pain. If you are ready to schedule a consultation with a neck pain specialist, use our contact form linked here.

If you're interested in learning more about neck pain, you can use the navigation buttons below to explore detailed information about its causes, symptoms, and available treatment options.

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Neck Pain Treatment Guide

Explore our in-depth digital guide on Neck Pain, offering valuable insights into its causes, symptoms, and treatments. The guide also addresses frequently asked questions, providing comprehensive knowledge about this prevalent condition.

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Understanding Neck Pain

The neck region of the spinal column, also known as the cervical spine, comprises bones, nerves, ligaments, muscles, and several vertebrae that connect the torso to the head and cervical discs that absorb daily shock. The neck supports the head and allows for movement, such as turning left or right and looking up or down. 

Neck pain usually stems from overuse and bad posture. Most people experience neck pain or stiffness at some point in their life; however, typically, this is short-term pain that clears up on its own. A majority of those with neck pain will feel better in 1 to 2 weeks, and 90% of people will have no pain after eight weeks. However, for some, neck pain can last significantly longer and require a professional neck pain doctor to help relieve the pain. 

Types of Neck Pain:

  • Acute (short-term) neck pain is very common. It can happen as a result of tense muscles, sitting in front of a computer for many hours, or sleeping in an awkward position. 
  • Chronic (long-term) neck pain: constant neck pain that lasts for 12 weeks or more. It usually occurs as a result of a combination of factors: muscular strain, poor posture, and disc-related conditions. 

Neck Pain When To See A Doctor:

If your neck pain disappears after several days, you should consider seeing a neck pain treatment doctor. We can help establish the cause of your chronic pain and create a tailored pain management plan to reduce your pain better.

A women with neck pain holding a red pain point

Causes Of Neck Pain

The neck is designed to support the head's weight and is therefore vulnerable to daily wear, leading to pain and restricting your full range of motion. Other conditions can also cause neck pain in individuals. 

Constant neck pain causes include

  • Injury: Trauma, such as the neck being suddenly forced to move or rebound in the opposite direction (i.e., whiplash), can leave someone feeling sore for days. Serious injuries, such as those involving sports, a fall, or a car crash, are more likely to lead to spinal fractures and other issues that can cause long-term neck pain. 
  • Muscle Strain: This is one of the leading causes of neck pain. Sitting hunched over at a desk/computer for hours without changing positions can strain the muscles in the neck. Symptoms of a neck strain are often a sore or "stiff neck." Another way to strain the neck muscles is by sleeping in the wrong position, sleeping someplace other than your bed, or using a pillow that does not offer enough head and neck support. 
  • Age: As people age, they are at a higher risk of wearing down their joints and cartilage. Degenerative diseases, like Osteoarthritis and Spinal Stenosis, are some of the leading causes of joint and cartilage damage. Osteoarthritis is the actual wearing down of the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones. This deterioration affects millions of people worldwide. Spinal Stenosis is the narrowing of the spaces within your spine that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. 
  • Herniated Disc: Also known as a bulging disc, a herniated disc occurs when the 'inner jelly-like substance' pushes out of the disc because of tears or defects in the outer cartilage layer. This herniation puts pressure on the spinal nerves, causing pain. Herniated discs can develop anywhere along the spine, although seen more in the lower back or the neck. Spinal discs are particularly susceptible to herniation and are usually at the early stage of degeneration. 
  • Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia causes musculoskeletal pain all over the body, fatigue, sleep problems, difficulty with memory, and moodiness. About 4 million adults in the U.S. are affected by Fibromyalgia. People who are middle-aged or older tend to be diagnosed more often with this condition than younger individuals. 
  • Stress: Stress can significantly increase tension in the body. This tension can cause the muscles in the neck to tighten and become sore as a result. 
  • Other Conditions: Some other health conditions that can lead to neck pain are Bone Spurs, Meningitis, and Cancer. 

  • Who Is More At Risk

    While anyone at any age can experience neck pain, certain groups share a higher risk for neck pain than others. Neck pain does tend to occur more frequently in women than men and older populations. 

    Neck pain is also found more often in jobs requiring individuals to sit at a desk all day. This is because this work usually involves staring at a computer or being hunched over their work with little movement throughout the day. Anyone who works in a hazardous job that can potentially result in injury ( i.e., construction workers) may develop neck pain from these "on-the-job" injuries.


    Symptoms Of Neck Pain

    Neck pain can occur in a specific area of the neck or radiate along nerves, for example, down your arm. When neck pain radiates, it can affect reflexes and muscle strength in the affected areas and even cause tingling sensations.

    Some neck pain symptoms, or symptoms that coincide with neck pain, require urgent medical attention.

    These symptoms include:

    • Signs of paralysis, such as difficulty moving your fingers
    • Neck pain after an accident
    • Unintentional weight loss
    • Fever or chills
    • Loss of bladder or bowel control
    • Frequent numbness or tingling sensations in your hands or legs
    • Trouble keeping your balance when walking

    Remember, everyone's experience with neck pain is different. Paying attention to your body and not ignoring persistent pain or discomfort is essential.

    Variation in Symptoms Based on Severity

    The severity of neck pain can vary significantly between individuals, and the symptoms can change accordingly.

    • Mild Neck Pain: This can be a slight discomfort or stiffness in your neck, often disappearing after rest or gentle stretching. It's usually associated with poor posture or overuse.
    • Moderate Neck Pain: This pain level is more noticeable and may start affecting your daily activities. You might experience increased stiffness or discomfort, especially after long periods of sitting or standing.
    • Severe Neck Pain: This intense pain can limit physical activity. It might be accompanied by other symptoms like numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or hands. Severe neck pain can be a sign of a serious condition, like a herniated disc or spinal Stenosis, and should be evaluated by a healthcare professional immediately.

    Remember, neck pain is not something you have to live with. At Pain and Spine Specialists, we're committed to diagnosing the root cause of your discomfort and creating a personalized treatment plan to alleviate your pain and improve your quality of life.

    Neck pain, sciatica and scoliosis in the cervical spine isolated on white background, chiropractor treatment concept, painful area highlighted in red and blue

    Ways to Prevent Neck Pain

    Overusing your neck is one of the leading causes of constant neck pain. By making little adjustments to your daily routine, you may be able to avoid any further discomfort caused by overusing your neck. 

    • If you have to stand or sit for long periods at your job, use the correct posture to align your body. 
    • Switch to a memory foam pillow or one that is specifically designed to support the neck and head. Also, try to sleep on your back or your side. Sleeping on your stomach or in contorted positions puts significant pressure on the spine. 
    • Take breaks as often as possible at work and move around some to stretch the neck, shoulders, and back and improve circulation. 
    • If you carry a backpack, you need to use both straps to help balance the weight and not overly strain one side of your neck. Also, avoid loading bags with many things that weigh too much and pull on your neck as you carry them. 
    • Adjust your computer monitor and chair to appropriate heights to help maintain good posture, and don't slouch over any laptops.

    Types Of Neck Pain Diagnosis Techniques

    Our neck pain doctors in Maryland are board certified and are dedicated to giving you a comprehensive exam that will aid in diagnosing the cause of your symptoms. Using advanced neck pain diagnosis techniques, our neck pain specialists will find out the reason for your pain and then get you on the road to better health immediately. 

    Here are a few types of neck pain diagnosis techniques that we use:

    1. Review of Medical History: A detailed review of your health history aids us in identifying any previous injuries or conditions contributing to your neck pain.
    2. Physical Examination: Our specialists conduct a thorough physical exam to assess your neck's range of motion, muscle strength, and reflexes, as well as to pinpoint areas causing discomfort.
    3. Diagnostic Imaging: To better understand what's happening internally, we employ advanced imaging techniques like X-rays, MRI, or CT scans. These tools can reveal abnormalities such as herniated discs or bone spurs that could be causing your neck pain.
    4. Nerve Tests: If nerve damage is suspected, additional tests may be performed to measure electrical activity in your muscles and nerves, helping us identify potential nerve-related issues.
    5. Diagnostic Nerve Blocks: In certain cases, we use diagnostic nerve blocks like facet joint injections, epidural steroid injections, SI injections, or medial branch blocks. These procedures can help determine if specific nerves in your neck are causing your pain.

    Through this comprehensive approach, we accurately detect the source of your neck pain and develop a tailor-made treatment plan to relieve your symptoms and enhance your quality of life.


    Treatment For Chronic Neck Pain

    We provide a wide range of neck pain treatments. Treatment is highly individualized and will depend on the underlying cause of pain and the severity of symptoms. Here's a closer look at some of the therapies we offer:

    Injections for neck pain

    Injection therapies are often the best treatment for severe neck pain. These neck injections for pain relief involve injecting medication directly into the affected area to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. Here are some of the injections for neck pain that we offer:

    • Facet Joint Injections: A treatment involving injecting a local anesthetic and steroid medication into the facet joints between each set of vertebrae in the spine to alleviate pain and inflammation.
    • Epidural Steroid Injection: This procedure involves administering steroids into the epidural space around the spinal cord to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
    • Occipital Nerve Blocks: A treatment that involves injections of a steroid or other medication around the occipital nerves located on the back of the head just above the neck to treat headache pain.
    • Stellate Ganglion Block: This procedure involves injecting a local anesthetic into the front of the neck to block the sympathetic nerves contributing to pain syndromes and other problems.


    Advanced Interventional Procedures

    When conventional treatments aren't enough, we turn to advanced interventional procedures. These innovative techniques provide targeted relief for chronic neck pain:

    • Spinal Cord Stimulation: A device implanted under your skin that sends a mild electric current to the spinal cord to relieve chronic pain.
    • Radiofrequency Ablation: This procedure uses heat generated by radio waves to target specific nerves and interrupt their ability to send pain signals to the brain.


    Conventional Treatments

    Conventional treatments remain a vital part of managing neck pain. These can include:

    • Medication Management Programs: These programs involve the use of medications to control pain under the supervision of a healthcare provider.
    • Referrals to Physical Therapy: Patients are referred to physical therapists who provide exercises and other therapies to help improve mobility and manage pain.


    Alternative Therapies

    We also recognize the value of alternative therapies in managing neck pain. These can include:

    • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: A noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression.
    • Acupuncture: An ancient Chinese medicine-based approach to treating various conditions by triggering specific points on the skin with needles.

    These therapies are referred to our sister company, Shakthi Health and Wellness Center.


    Comprehensive neck pain management

    At Pain and Spine Specialists, we provide comprehensive neck pain management and personalized care for individuals with severe neck pain. Our team of highly experienced healthcare professionals utilizes the latest advancements in pain management to help our patients regain control of their lives.

    Neck pain is a complex condition, and identifying the best treatment for chronic neck pain is crucial. That's why we take a comprehensive approach to treating it. We begin by conducting a thorough examination to understand the root cause of your pain. This includes an in-depth discussion about your symptoms, medical history, and any previous treatments you've tried.

    Once we clearly understand your condition, we create a customized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. This plan could include a variety of therapies, such as facet joint injections or epidural steroid injections, advanced interventional procedures like spinal cord stimulation or radiofrequency ablation, and conventional treatments like medication management programs or referrals to physical therapy.

    We also recognize the value of alternative therapies in managing neck pain so that we may refer you to our sister company, Shakthi Health and Wellness Center, for treatments like transcranial magnetic stimulation or acupuncture.

    Getting Started with Us

    Looking for neck pain treatment near me? Simply give us a call or fill out the contact form on our website to schedule an initial consultation. During this appointment, one of our pain management specialists will evaluate your condition, answer any questions you may have, and discuss potential treatment options.