Living with pain can be a nightmare. You might have trouble focusing on your personal and professional life. You might not be able to enjoy all the things you used to like. Pain can cripple you. Neck pain is no different.
Fortunately, healthcare is in a constant state of flux, always evolving to help people manage and, in many cases, beat your pain problem.
Understanding why you suffer from neck pain can help you recover quicker. This article explores 5 treatment options for your neck pain, any of which could be the solution you’ve been searching for.
What is Neck Pain?
Neck pain can be sharp or dull, constant or sporadic. Sometimes, the pain will spread to one or both arms. Neck pain can make doing anything a struggle. It can rob you of sleep and concentration, which affects all areas of your life.
This uncomfortable condition can have several causes. For instance, spinal degeneration can lead to nerve root or spinal canal compression. Acute injuries like whiplash can cause neck pain.
Diagnosing the cause requires a thorough examination that could include X-ray, CT, or MRI imaging. Once your neck pain specialist diagnoses your condition, then you can pursue a treatment plan.
5 Neck Pain Treatment Options
1. Self-care
Some types of neck pain can respond well to self-care treatment. Depending on the severity, neck pain can go away with over-the-counter pain relievers and heat. You could also wear a soft collar to relieve pressure off your neck.
If your home care doesn’t work, then you can visit a doctor. They can prescribe a higher-dose of anti-inflammatory medication or muscle relaxer. Plus, they can diagnose your condition and refer you to a neck pain specialist if needed.
2. Physical therapy
Your neck pain might respond to physical therapy. Learning correct posture and neck-strengthening exercises can help you overcome your pain. Physical therapy might also incorporate heat, ice, and other methods. People who want to avoid surgery and medication can seek physical therapy. Physical therapy will teach you exercises and techniques you can use to decrease your neck pain whenever it flares up.
3. Trigger point injections
This treatment choice hones in on the muscle knots that are tense and painful. These trigger points could irritate nearby nerves, causing other parts of your body to feel pain. Trigger point injections help the muscles relax and reduce referred pain.
The procedure involves injecting a local anesthetic that could contain a steroid into the affected area. Injections coupled with other treatment options can alleviate pain for good.
4. Cervical epidural steroid injections
Epidural refers to the space between the bony canal in your spine and the spinal cord. Your neck is one piece of your spine. Irritation, inflammation, or injury to your spinal nerves can cause significant pain.
Cervical epidural steroid injections cover the epidural space around the nerves in your neck. They can help you temporarily manage your pain. When paired with other care options, this non-surgical method can enable you to heal faster.
These procedures usually involve injecting a corticosteroid solution with or without an anesthetic into the epidural space in the neck.
5. Radiofrequency ablations
If your neck pain does not respond to the previous treatment options, then radiofrequency ablations can finally make the difference you need.
This minimally-invasive X-ray guided procedure is performed in an outpatient setting. It can be performed in the neck to help you manage pain associated with facet joint arthritis or arthropathy.
The procedure uses special equipment and needles to apply radio waves to the affected area. This creates heat in the nerve fibers that transmit pain signals. The heat effectively burns the nerve endings, preventing pain signals from reaching your brain.
Radiofrequency ablations typically last for six months to over a year. The procedure can be repeated as needed. This therapy can offer long-term relief.
Your Neck Pain Solution
Do you want to take control of your neck pain?
Lone Star Spine & Pain Institute can deliver unique and compassionate treatment plans that will alleviate your pain. These are only five out of the many solutions we can provide you for your neck pain.
Who We Are
Today’s healthcare environment is becoming impersonal. Some practices seem like factories that treat view patients as a number and not much else.
We focus on giving all of our patients an excellent human experience without sacrificing the delivery of care. We want to spend time listening to your concerns. Everyone experiences pain differently. Every diagnosis is different. We have to gather as much information as possible so we can administer a personalized plan that improves your quality of life.
What We Do
We can treat more than your neck pain. Our specialized pain management techniques can alleviate your:
- Abdominal Pain
- Arm Pain
- Arthritis
- Back Pain
- Foot Pain
- Hip Pain
- Knee Pain
- Leg Pain
- Migraines
- And More
Our double-board-certified physicians can provide the most cutting-edge minimally-invasive therapies to treat chronic pain. With many options at their disposal, they can offer you a quick recovery followed by a life free of constant pain.
How We Do It
There’s no magic spell that can zap your pain. However, our treatment options are the next best thing. We apply each one with passion and care. Our range of options includes:
- Bursa Injections: Bursas exist between your body’s soft tissues like tendons. They help keep the body moving smoothly. Sometimes they get inflamed. Our bursa injections can reduce inflammation and decrease your pain.
- Interspinous Process Spacers: These minimally-invasive devices help alleviate low back and leg pain originating from spinal stenosis. Patients who are not suited for major spine surgery might have better success with this alternative.
- Spinal Cord Stimulation: This innovative procedure involves placing a spinal cord stimulation device in the back to intercept pain signals before they reach the brain. The trial device is not permanently implanted and can be removed at any time.
What You Can Do for Your Neck Pain
If you want to reclaim your life, visit our San Marcos or New Braunfels locations. Your journey to healing is one step away. Please contact us with your questions or to schedule an appointment.
