Neck pain can be inconvenient, or it can be much worse than that. When you have severe neck pain, regular activities like reading, getting dressed, and driving just aren’t possible without serious suffering. That’s when you need to reach out to Tarpon Interventional Pain & Spine Care, the practice of renowned pain specialist Lewis Frazier, Jr., MD. At his Plano, Texas, office, Dr. Frazier, Jr. diagnoses and manages neck pain using cutting-edge techniques. Call the office to book a consultation today.
Neck Pain Q & A
Why do I have neck pain?
Neck pain can start in a number of ways. Your neck contains bones (vertebrae), nerves, cervical discs, tendons, ligaments, and other tissues that work harmoniously to keep you turning, nodding, and using your neck without pain.
But, damage to any small area of your neck can have serious effects that reach well beyond the immediate area. Neck pain often goes along with upper back pain, headaches, and other types of pain. Some of the many reasons for neck pain include:
- Arthritis
- Disc herniation
- Bone spurs
- Disc degeneration (cervical spondylosis)
- Trauma – car accidents, falls, sports accidents
- Spinal stenosis
- Gout
- Fibromyalgia
Acute neck pain — pain that lasts less than six months — usually happens with accidents. Chronic neck pain — lasting more than six months and persisting long term — is more likely related to disease or age-related issues.
When do I need interventional pain management for neck pain?
If you have lingering neck pain that doesn’t improve with conservative measures, Dr. Frazier, Jr. may recommend a cervical injection, such as a cervical epidural steroid injection. This injection includes corticosteroids and an anesthetic that calms nerve activity and reduces inflammation.
Epidural steroid injections can also treat other areas, including your middle back (thoracic injections) and lower back (lumbar injections). There are other types of steroid and anesthetic injections, too. For example, facet joint injections, trigger point injections, and diagnostic medial branch block injections.
Steroid and anesthetic injections are a very effective way to fight the root cause of your neck pain for up to a few months at a time.
What are the other neck pain treatments available?
Tarpon Interventional Pain & Spine Care offers many other options, such as: Other injections Other neck pain injection options can include platelet-rich plasma (PRP), amniotic fluid, and bone marrow stem cells. PRP and stem cells can reduce pain and promote tissue regeneration.
Depending on the cause of your neck pain and how much inflammation you have, as little as one injection could ease your pain for several months or more.
Radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a procedure in which Dr. Frazier, Jr. uses radiofrequency power to deaden a nerve that’s causing serious pain. You might need this procedure for lasting pain relief — up to 18 months or more — if an anesthesia injection in the same area produced good results.
Along with your interventional pain management procedure, Dr. Frazier, Jr. usually prescribes physiotherapy. Your physiotherapy exercises can help to restore normal neck strength and movement.
To learn more about how to relieve your neck pain, call Tarpon Interventional Pain & Spine Care for a consultation today.