Neck Pain Specialist

What causes neck pain?

Your neck is part of the long, flexible spinal column called the cervical spine. The cervical spine is composed of seven bones, or vertebrae, and a framework of muscles, discs, nerves, and tissues. The complexity of your neck makes it vulnerable to injuries. Injuries and aging are the chief causes of neck pain.

Poor posture and diseases such as arthritis also cause neck pain. When your bones or joints in your cervical spine degenerate, or break down over time, this may cause painful conditions, such as disc herniation or bone spurs. Sudden severe injury to the neck may also contribute to disc herniation, whiplash, and other conditions.

How is neck pain diagnosed?

The team begins by taking a complete medical history. They perform a physical exam and evaluate your symptoms.

To pinpoint the cause of your neck pain, the may recommend a series of tests. These include:

• Computed tomography scan (CT scan)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Myelogram
• Discography
• Electromyography (EMG)
• Nerve conduction studies (NCS)
• Selective nerve root block

The team may recommend other diagnostic tests, if necessary.

How is neck pain treated?

Once the team has identified the location and cause of the irritated nerve root or mechanical issue, they create a treatment plan to minimize your symptoms. Your treatment plan may include:

Epidural steroid injections

Epidural steroid injections are injections of a combination of an anesthetic and steroid. The injection is made into the epidural space, a “sleeve” surrounding your spine.

Facet injections

Facet injections are injections into the small facet joints in your spine to treat pain from arthritis or an injury. The injections may be a combination of an anesthetic and steroid.

Facet radiofrequency ablation

A minimally invasive procedure that uses a small electrical current to stop your nerve’s ability to send pain signals. The team uses a device called fluoroscopy to pinpoint your treatment to the right nerve or nerves.

Trigger point injections

Trigger point injections involve injecting small amounts of a steroid and anesthetic into a knot in your muscle. The team may recommend injections with natural injectables like Traumeel or Spascupreel®.

If you’re ready to be free of neck pain, find out if you might be a candidate for one of these treatments, or others. Call today to schedule a consultation with Enhance Center.