If you’re having neck discomfort, you’ve got a lot of company. Studies show neck pain affects from one-third to two-thirds of the population, becoming more common as we get older. Even mild neck pain can have a big impact on your daily routines — and on your quality of life, too. If you’re experiencing neck pain, here’s what you should know.

What’s Causing Your Neck Pain?

Lots of factors can cause or contribute to neck pain. The most common causes include:

• Muscle strain from repetitive motions or activities like overhead reaching, heavy lifting, or bending over a keyboard or phone for long periods of time
• Injury from a fall, accident or other traumatic event
• Pinched nerves from herniated discs or other spine-related problems
• Disease, including degenerative conditions like arthritis and viral diseases like meningitis

Other medical conditions and lifestyle habits can also cause neck pain or make it worse.

When Should I See a Doctor for Neck Pain?

Many people have temporary neck pain associated with a specific activity or habit, like spending the day doing heavy lifting or painting or bent over a computer keyboard. In these cases, pain typically resolves with a little rest and maybe an over-the-counter pain reliever. But sometimes, neck pain lasts a lot longer or it tends to recur. For these types of acute or chronic neck pain, seeing an orthopedic specialist is an important step in relieving pain and in preventing your neck problems from getting worse. Orthopedists are trained in treating problems affecting your musculoskeletal system, so you can get the treatment you need to get rid of symptoms and protect your health.

It’s always a good idea to visit the doctor if your neck pain doesn’t resolve in a day or so or if it keeps coming back. But you should also call our office in these instances:

• You have severe neck pain.
• Your neck pain is accompanied by a fever or severe headache.
• You notice swelling around your neck.
• Your pain follows a fall, car or sports accident, or another injury.

Your neck contains a lot of nerves, and problems that affect your neck can quickly develop into more serious problems that affect other areas of your body, too. For instance, when neck pain causes nerve irritation or compression, you might have pain, numbness or other symptoms radiating into your arms and hands, as well.

Treatments for Neck Pain

Neck pain certainly is no fun, but the good news is, it can often be treated with conservative treatment.

Ice/Heat

Neck pain often involves inflammation and irritation in or around the joints and muscles. Heat helps by increasing circulation to the area, which in turn promotes healing to damaged tissues. Ice packs applied to the neck are a great way to reduce inflammation. Alternating both heat and ice provide both benefits, for faster recovery along with decreased discomfort.

Medication

Some types of neck pain respond well to over-the-counter medication to relieve both pain and inflammation. In a few cases, your doctor might recommend injections of corticosteroids directly to the area of your neck that’s damaged or inflamed.

Exercise/Physical Therapy

When your neck hurts, moving it might sound counterintuitive. And it actually could make your pain worse if you try to stretch it or exercise it on your own. However, exercise and gentle stretching under the guidance of a skilled physical therapist can be very helpful in relieving many types of neck pain, including pain caused by strain and some types of disease or trauma. When you work with a physical therapist, your treatment plan is created specifically for your medical needs and your lifestyle, and your therapist will alter your treatment plan as your condition improves. Physical therapists typically provide patients with exercises they can do at home, too, so you can play an active role in your healing.

Rest

Neck pain that’s caused by strain or overuse often resolves with a little rest. That might mean changing habits or reducing activities for a while to give your neck a chance to heal. You might benefit from a neck collar or special pillow to support your neck during routine activities or while sleeping.

Surgery

If you have severe or chronic neck pain that doesn’t respond to conservative treatments, surgery might be a good option. At Prime Surgical Suites, we use the most advanced technology, to provide every patient with custom-tailored treatment aimed at correcting underlying problems and restoring normal, pain-free range of motion.

If you’re having neck pain, delaying care can allow even a minor issue turn into a major problem. Having an evaluation as soon as possible is an important part of staying healthy, and it also allows conservative treatments to be more effective.

At Prime Surgical Suites, we provide state-of-the-art, cost-effective musculoskeletal surgical care in a convenient and comfortable outpatient setting for patients of all ages. Located in RiverCrest Medical Park, we are the region's first outpatient center focused exclusively on orthopedics. Our physician-led center will help restore your active lifestyle and well-being with compassion and orthopedic excellence.