Neck Pain

When chronic neck pain keeps you from enjoying life, you’ll find the pain management solutions you need at Union Anesthesia Associates. At their offices in Union, Scotch Plains, Bloomfield, South Bound Brook, New Brunswick, Old Bridge, and Woodbridge, New Jersey, the experienced pain specialists use advanced, nonsurgical techniques like nerve blocks and steroid injections to ease neck pain. They offer minimally invasive surgery to repair spine damage from injuries and disease. Call the Union Anesthesia Associates office nearest you today to schedule a consultation for neck pain, or book your appointment online.

What causes neck pain?

Acute neck pain often results from strain or overly tight muscles in the neck, trapezius, shoulders, and upper back. Acute pain typically lasts less than 6 weeks and improves with rest, therapeutic exercises, and over-the-counter medication.

Chronic neck pain lasts three months or longer; it can be a warning sign of underlying spinal disorders or a side effect of a traumatic injury. Potential causes of chronic neck pain include:

• Arthritis
• Herniated disc
• Degenerative disc disease
• Cervical stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
• Cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve)

Union Anesthesia Associates offers comprehensive pain management services for chronic neck pain caused by spine injuries and disorders. The specialists have extensive experience using nonsurgical methods to control pain and prevent it from worsening.

When should I seek medical care for neck pain?

Schedule a diagnostic evaluation at Union Anesthesia Associates for persistent neck pain that you can’t manage with home care. You should also seek medical attention for neck pain that continues to get worse or interferes with your ability to remain active.

In addition to neck pain, some spine conditions can cause pain that radiates into your shoulders, arms, and hands. You might also experience tingling, numbness, or weakness in these areas if you have a pinched nerve or an underlying spinal disorder.

The medical team offers several diagnostic procedures in their offices, including nerve root blocks, to identify the source of your neck pain. They might also request X-rays or other diagnostic imaging tests to identify tissue, bone, or nerve damage in your cervical spine.

How is neck pain treated?

How your neck pain is treated will depend on the nature of your condition and how severe your symptoms are. The Union Anesthesia Associates medical team uses the least invasive treatment to control your pain and protect your spine’s long-term health.

Nonsurgical treatments for neck pain include:

• Medication
• Physical therapy
• Radiofrequency nerve ablation
• Cervical epidural steroid injections
• Facet joint injections

When these treatments fail to control your pain, the providers could recommend surgery to remove or replace the damaged disc that’s pressing on your nerves to relieve your pain.

The pain specialists continue to monitor your pain relief during follow-up visits. They can also recommend lifestyle changes and exercises you can do to prevent additional neck pain.

Call the Union Anesthesia Associates office nearest you today to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for neck pain or book an appointment online.