Neck pain can make it hard to turn your head, focus at work or get a good night’s sleep. Sometimes it stays in the neck. Other times it spreads into the shoulders, causes headaches or travels down the arm. At Innovation Spine Medical, we look for what’s driving your neck pain so your treatment targets the cause, with non-surgical options first whenever appropriate.
Stiffness or reduced ability to turn or tilt your head
Aching or sharp pain in the neck
Pain that spreads to the shoulders or upper back
Pain on stairs, walking or kneeling.
Pain in the hip, groin or outer thigh.
Pain gripping, lifting or twisting.
Hours at a desk, looking down at a phone or sleeping in an awkward position can strain the neck muscles. Tight muscle knots may respond to trigger point injections.
A car accident or sudden jolt can injure the muscles, ligaments and joints of the neck.
A disc that bulges or herniates can press on a nerve and cause pain that travels into the arm (cervical radiculopathy).
Wear and tear in the small joints of the neck can cause stiffness, localized pain and headaches.
Narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck can put pressure on nerves or the spinal cord.
For mild neck pain without warning signs, these general steps may help:
If pain doesn’t improve within a couple of weeks, or if you notice arm symptoms, it’s time for an evaluation.
Consider an evaluation if neck pain:
Pain lasting three months or longer is considered chronic neck pain and often benefits from a structured plan.
Call our office if you notice redness, warmth or drainage at an injection site, a fever, pain or swelling that keeps getting worse, or new numbness or weakness.
Seek emergency care right away if you have trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat.
Your provider reviews your symptoms and history, examines your neck’s range of motion, strength, reflexes and sensation, and reviews any imaging you have. X-rays or an MRI may be ordered if needed. In some cases, a diagnostic injection helps confirm which structure is causing pain.
Your treatment plan depends on your diagnosis and may include:
for chronic neck and arm pain that hasn’t responded to other care.
Posture, muscle tension, stress and age-related changes in the discs and joints are common causes. An evaluation can help identify what’s behind your pain.
Yes. Problems in the upper neck joints and muscles can cause headaches that start at the base of the skull, often called cervicogenic headaches.
Most neck pain is treated without surgery, using therapy, injections and other non-surgical options.
Pain, numbness or tingling in the arm often means a nerve in the neck is irritated, such as by a herniated disc. This is worth having evaluated.
Innovation Spine Medical is located in Rego Park, Queens at 97-01 66th Ave, Rego Park, NY 11374. Call
Schedule an evaluation at our Rego Park office and get a plan built around the cause of your pain.
