Neck pain
At one time or another, most people have experienced some form of neck pain. Annual estimates of the prevalence of neck pain among adults range from 30% to 50% in the United States. Nearly 50% of individuals will continue to experience some degree of chronic neck pain or frequent occurrences. At Sussex Pain Relief Center, Manonmani Antony, MD, DABA, DABIPP, and the highly trained group of interventional pain management specialists use today's most innovative approaches to end your neck pain and get your life back. Call the office nearest you in Georgetown or Lewes, Delaware, or click the online appointment button now.
Neck pain FAQ
What causes ongoing neck pain?
There are many possible causes of ongoing (chronic) neck pain, including both injury and disease. Some of the most common reasons for chronic neck pain can include:
Injury or trauma
A whiplash injury, sports injury, or fall can strain or tear muscles and ligaments.
Bulging or herniated disc
The gel-like center of a spinal disc can bulge or rupture through a weak area in the wall and compress nerves.
Pinched nerve
The compression of a spinal nerve as it leaves the canal can cause pain to travel down the arm into the hands or fingers.
Osteoarthritis of facet joints
This form of arthritis has been shown to be a source of pain in the neck and referred pain in the head and arms.
Degenerative disc disease
As discs naturally age, they dry out and shrink. Bone spurs can form and cause neck pain.
Spinal stenosis
Narrowing of the bony canals in the spine can compress the cord and nerves, causing them to swell and inflame.
Post-surgical pain
Post-surgical neck pain after cervical spine surgery.
Myofascial pain syndrome
Myofascial pain is unique in that it's associated with trigger points — areas of tenderness and stiffness within the muscle tissue that reduce your range of motion.
Whiplash
Perhaps the most common reason for sudden neck pain is whiplash, a soft tissue injury typically sustained in an auto accident. In whiplash, rapid back-and-forth movement during impact leads to neck stiffness, pain, and range-of-motion problems.
If your whiplash injury isn't treated, it may not heal on its own, and could, therefore, become a chronic neck pain problem that lasts for years or even a lifetime.
How do you treat neck pain at Sussex Pain Relief Center?
Sussex Pain Relief Center offers dozens of different cutting-edge neck pain treatments. Your treatment is customized just for you, but some common approaches include:
Cervical epidural injections
A whiplash injury, sports injury, or fall can strain or tear muscles and ligaments.
Cervical facet joint injections
The gel-like center of a spinal disc can bulge or rupture through a weak area in the wall and compress nerves.
Diagnostic medial branch nerve blocks
The compression of a spinal nerve as it leaves the canal can cause pain to travel down the arm into the hands or fingers.
Radiofrequency ablation of medial branch nerves
This form of arthritis has been shown to be a source of pain in the neck and referred pain in the head and arms.
Trigger point injections
As discs naturally age, they dry out and shrink. Bone spurs can form and cause neck pain.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS)
Spinal cord stimulation therapy masks pain signals before they reach the brain. A small device, similar to a pacemaker, delivers electrical pulses to the spinal cord.
The Sussex Pain Relief Center team typically starts with the most conservative neck pain management approach possible. This may include injections like facet joint or bursa injections, along with other prescribed pain management.
If injections don't help, your Sussex Pain Relief Center providers may recommend other evidence-based, minimally invasive procedures like radiofrequency ablation or a spinal cord stimulator.
The procedures are just part of the relief, though. The Sussex Pain Relief Center team promotes lifestyle interventions, and they can teach you how to develop new habits, set goals, and learn to live pain-free with fewer opioids (or even move away from opioid usage completely).
Through the pain management program, you make sustainable changes that lead you to a new life without pain.
What is advice for people with neck pain after whiplash?
Whiplash occurs when the neck and head are suddenly forced backward and then forward, putting the cervical spine through quick motions. Most cases of whiplash are caused by car accidents where the person has been rear-ended.
Whiplash pain can be easily treated with cervical facet injections combined with medical massage therapy at SPRC if presented within the first few weeks or months of motor vehicle injury.
What can I expect during my first appointment for neck pain?
During your first appointment at Sussex Pain Relief Center, the interventional pain management specialists perform a comprehensive evaluation including a medical exam and history. Your specialists ask about your pain, your history with pain treatments, and any current medications.
You get the chance to ask questions as the team of specialists design an individualized treatment plan. Then, you can schedule procedures, physical therapy, and any other recommended care to get started with your pain relief right away.
Book your appointment for neck pain treatment in Georgetown and Lewes, Delaware, by phone or through online scheduling now.