Treatment for neck pain

Although neck pain is common, it doesn’t have to disrupt your life. There are many nonsurgical and surgical treatments that relieve neck stiffness and discomfort.

If you experience neck pain that interferes with your daily activities, it’s time to see a spine specialist. At Aurora Health Care, our spine team provides comprehensive treatment options to relieve neck pain and get you back to the activities you enjoy.

Should I go to a doctor for neck pain?

Neck pain from tension or minor muscle strains usually goes away within a few days. But if you have neck pain that persists for several weeks or longer, see a spine specialist. You may need treatment to target the pain or address an underlying condition.

You should always see a doctor if neck pain occurs after a traumatic injury, such as a car accident or sports injury. Seek immediate care if you have any red-flag symptoms along with neck pain, such as a fever or muscle weakness.

Therapy treatments for neck pain

Neck pain treatment typically starts with nonsurgical options. You may try these therapies for several weeks before considering further medical or surgical treatment.

Acupuncture

This practice involves placing small needles in specific points on your body. Your acupuncturist may place these needles along your neck, back or other areas. You may lie on your stomach or back or stay seated, depending on the treatment method. Many people find that regular acupuncture can help reduce stress, relieve pain and decrease stiffness. Learn more about acupuncture.

Chiropractic care

A chiropractor is a health care provider who specializes in nonsurgical treatment of your musculoskeletal system. They often offer gentle spinal manipulation or mobilization for neck pain. While you sit in a chair or lie on your back, your chiropractor may gently pull on your neck to stretch the spine. They may move your head from side to side or use other manual techniques to adjust your spine. Find out more about chiropractic care.

Massage

A licensed massage therapist helps loosen tight neck muscles to relieve tension and soreness. Regular massages can help increase blood circulation, boost endorphins and relax your muscles. You may also sleep better, which can help with preventing or healing from neck pain. Discover more about massage therapy.

Physical therapy

A physical therapist teaches you exercises specifically designed to improve neck strength, flexibility and range of motion. You may also learn how to move in your day-to-day activities to prevent future injury.

Physical therapy typically involves a combination of in-office visits and prescribed movements that you perform at home between appointments. Find out more about physical therapy.

Medical and surgical treatments for neck pain

If noninvasive therapies don’t relieve or manage neck pain, your provider may recommend medical or surgical options. These treatments help reduce inflammation, decrease pain signals or correct underlying conditions that cause neck pain.

Medication

Some people can ease neck pain with over-the-counter pain medicines. You may take acetaminophen, naproxen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen.

If needed, your doctor may prescribe pain medication. Because prescription painkillers can be addictive, they’re not usually a first-line therapy. Your doctor may only prescribe them on a short-term basis, such as while you’re recovering from surgery.

Injections

A spine physiatrist injects pain medication or a jelly-like lubricant into injured tissue to help relieve neck pain. Injections can delay the need for surgery or help you avoid it altogether. Types of injections include:

• Cervical epidural steroid injections can help relieve nerve root inflammation. Your provider injects a steroid medicine into the space between your spinal bones and spinal cord (epidural space).
• Facet joint injections can help relieve osteoarthritis inflammation around your facet joints, which connect your spinal bones to each other. Your provider typically uses a combination of steroid medication and local anesthetic (numbing medication).
• Trigger point injections can help relax trigger points, areas of tight muscles that contribute to neck pain. Your provider typically injects a combination of steroid medication and local anesthetic.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses a small device to send electrical signals to specific nerve pathways. The TENS device has small wires and patches (electrodes) with adhesive backing. The electrodes attach to your skin on top of specific nerves. The device then sends gentle electrical impulses to the nerves, interrupting pain signals.

Spine surgery

Your provider may recommend surgery only if other treatment options don’t relieve neck pain. At Aurora Health Care, our spine specialists use the latest techniques in minimally invasive surgery. This approach uses small incisions to minimize damage to surrounding tissues, leading to less pain and a faster recovery. Surgery for neck pain may include:

• Decompression: Your provider removes any structures that are pressing on the nerves in your neck and causing pain. They may remove a herniated disc or bone spur, or they may create more space in your spinal column if it has narrowed.
• Fusion: Surgeons often combine spinal fusion with decompression. During fusion surgery, they join two or more of your spinal bones (vertebrae) to create stability in your spine. They also may remove a damaged or diseased cervical disc (discectomy) before performing a fusion. Sometimes, your provider performs an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). This procedure involves removing a damaged disc and fusing your vertebrae through an incision in the throat.
• Artificial disc replacement: Your surgeon removes a damaged or diseased cervical disc and replaces it with an artificial one. This procedure may restore more typical range of motion than a spinal fusion.