What causes neck pain?
The neck plays a difficult role within the body: the muscles and bones of the neck need to support the weight of the head, but the neck also must be flexible and able to move in multiple directions. It also acts as a conduit for nerves that travel from the brain to the rest of the body. Injuries or strain to any of the components of the neck, including the bones, joints, muscles, connective tissues, and nerves, can cause both local and radiating pain as well as other symptoms like tingling, numbness, burning sensations, and muscle fatigue and weakness.
What is cervical radiculopathy?
The cervical spine is the portion of the spine that runs through the neck. The nerves that provide sensation to the neck, head, shoulders, and arms exit the spine in this region. Sometimes, uneven strains of forces on the neck can cause one of the spongy discs between the neck bones (vertebrae) to move out of its normal position, resulting in pressure on the nerves where they exit the spine. When this happens, pain can occur in the neck and in the areas served by the nerve. This painful condition is called cervical radiculopathy. Arthritis, spinal stenosis, and other spine-related conditions can also cause nerve compression in the cervical spine.
How is neck pain treated?
Valley Pain Centers offers an array of cutting-edge treatments for neck pain, including:
- epidural injections, which administer anesthetics and corticosteroids to the space surrounding the affected area of the spine
- facet injections, which administer pain medication and anti-inflammatory medication directly to the joint space in the cervical spine
- radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which uses tiny probes to create lesions on the nerves and block the sensations of pain
- manipulation under anesthesia (MUA), which uses a series of movements and motions to address chronic neck pain that doesn't respond to other approaches
Other treatments include:
- Interlaminar Epidural Injections
- Transforaminal Epidural Injections
- Spinal Cord Stimulation Trials
- Medial Branch Blocks
- Trigger Point Injections
- Bursa and/or Tendon Injections
- PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) Therapy
- Stem Cell Therapy
- Non-Steroidal Injections (Traumeel)
Diagnostic imaging and a thorough examination and evaluation will be performed prior to treatment to ensure the most effective and most appropriate option is selected.
If you have any questions, please contact us via phone or email us at info@valleypaincenters.com
