Neck Pain

Neck pain that persists for weeks without improvement needs expert diagnosis and treatment. If your neck pain shows no signs of getting better, visit Ravi Panjabi, MD, at Advanced Pain Management in Castro Valley, California. Dr. Panjabi and his team specialize in easing pain when other methods haven’t worked. To benefit from their considerable skills, call Advanced Pain Management today or use the online scheduling feature to request an appointment.

Why do I have neck pain?

The neck (cervical spine) begins at the skull’s base and consists of seven small vertebrae. It supports the entire weight of your head — about 12 pounds on average. Your neck can move your head in almost every direction, but this flexibility makes it highly susceptible to injury and pain.

A stiff, sore neck is common after sleeping awkwardly, working at a keyboard all day, and when stress causes muscle tension. This discomfort should pass, but frequent episodes could create strain and tissue irritation, leading to ongoing neck pain.

Acute injuries are also a common neck pain cause. Whiplash, where the head moves violently back and forward, occurs during auto accidents and when playing sports, stretching the cervical spine and its connective tissues. Severe trauma could misalign or fracture the spine or cause discs (the spongy pads between your vertebrae) to rupture.

Another frequent neck problem is age-related deterioration. Degenerative disc disease develops in later life when the discs lose their youthful plumpness. Hard, flattened discs affect spinal alignment and are more likely to tear, allowing disc material to protrude into the spinal canal (disc herniation).

Other problems brought on by aging include osteoarthritis, bone spurs, spondylolisthesis (slipping vertebrae), osteoporosis (weakened bones that cause vertebral compression fractures), and spinal stenosis (spinal canal narrowing resulting from any of these conditions).

How do I get a neck pain diagnosis?

If you have neck pain, visit Advanced Pain Management for a thorough exam and diagnosis. The experienced pain management team examines your neck, asks about your symptoms, and assesses your medical history to determine neck pain’s cause.

Your provider might send you for an X-ray, CT scan, MRI, or another diagnostic imaging procedure if they need further information or want to see the damaged tissues in more detail.

What treatments help with neck pain?

Based on your diagnosis, age, and activity levels, your provider designs a treatment plan tailored to your needs that might include:

• Physical therapy
• Medication management
• Epidural steroid injections
• Facet joint injections
• Nerve block injections
• Trigger point injections
• Bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) injections
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
• Stem cell/exosome injections
• Radiofrequency rhizotomy (ablation)
• LASE® (laser-assisted spinal endoscopy) discography and disc decompression
• Spinal cord stimulation
• Intrathecal pain pump implantation

It’s also essential to think about correct posture, avoid neck strain, and reduce stress to prevent neck pain from returning.

Call Advanced Pain Management today or book an appointment online for timely neck pain relief.