Neck Pain Treatments

Chronic neck pain can be caused by various factors, including muscle strain, poor posture, degenerative disc disease, or even stress. Treatment for chronic neck pain aims to relieve discomfort, improve mobility, and address any underlying causes. Here are several treatment options for managing chronic neck pain:

Physical Therapy

Medications

• Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or prescription NSAIDs can reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
• Acetaminophen: A milder option for pain relief when inflammation isn’t a major issue.
• Muscle Relaxants: Medications such as cyclobenzaprine can help reduce muscle spasms that often contribute to neck pain.
• Topical Pain Relief: Creams or patches that contain ingredients like menthol or capsaicin may provide localized relief.
• Opioids: These are rarely prescribed due to the risk of dependence, but may be used in severe cases for short-term relief.

Chiropractic Care

Heat and Cold Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Injections

• Cervical Epidural Steroid Injections: A corticosteroid injection in the neck can help reduce inflammation and provide relief from pain.

Facet Joint Injections: These are used to target the small joints in the neck that may be causing pain.

Nerve Block Injections: In cases where nerve irritation is the cause of pain, nerve blocks can provide pain relief. 

• Deep Trigger Point Injections: In Many cases the pain is Not originating from the herniated disc or other MRI finding. Instead, the pain is originating from Deep trigger Points within certain muscles. Trigger Points can mimic pain from Sciatica, pinched nerve, radiculopathy, and can be the cause of headaches, neck pain, back pain.
• Deep trigger points are areas of tight, hyperirritable muscle fibers that form within a muscle and cause pain in the local area or sometimes in another part of the body. These points are often deeper within the muscle tissue and are typically more difficult to reach than superficial trigger points. Trigger points are often associated with myofascial pain syndrome and can result from muscle overuse, poor posture, stress, injury, or other factors.
• When pressure is applied to a deep trigger point, it may cause localized tenderness or a referred pain sensation in another area. This referred pain is one of the hallmark characteristics of trigger points, where pain is felt at a site distant from the trigger point itself. For example, a trigger point in the neck might cause pain, tingling, numbness in the head, shoulder, arm, or hand.  Lower back trigger points can cause pain, tingling, and numbness that radiates down the leg, potentially mimicking sciatica/radiculopathy/ pinched nerve.

Surgery (Last Resort)