The neck is an active part of the body because it helps you turn and connect the spinal cord and the head. As a result, it often suffers from pains and aches because it lacks the support that the rest of your spine has. For instance, if you fail to support your head well at night, you might wake up in the morning experiencing neck pain. In this case, you are supposed to seek relief because it can be severe to the extent it is interfering with how you participate in your daily chores. Therefore, if you are experiencing neck pain and seek relief, Naples Regenerative Institute specialists are here to help alleviate your pain by using surgical and nonsurgical treatments. They also utilize innovative treatments, including platelet-rich plasma injections and stem cell therapy to relieve pain. Let’s learn more about neck pain below.
What are the causes of neck pain?
In most cases, neck pain usually starts from your cervical spine. It can be due to various conditions such as spinal cord compression, cervical spinal stenosis, sprains, whiplash, strains, nerve compression, and cervical radiculopathy. As you advance in age, you might also develop cervical degenerative disc disease, which refers to the flattening and hardening of discs found in between your vertebrae. The out layer of the vertebrae is weakened by the changes causing the soft center to be pushed out, resulting in the formation of herniated or bulging cervical discs.
What to do if you have neck pains?
Mild neck pain is not severe because it can be due to poor neck support while sleeping or abnormal turning of your neck. Therefore, after a day or two, the pain subsides. But sprained ligament or strained muscles around your neck are painful damages that can take a while to heal following activity modification. And if you are experiencing severe pain, you are supposed to rest but engage in safe activities that do not worsen your condition.
You are advised to ensure you stretch your neck daily. Hot compressions improve circulation. Stretching also promotes blood supply to the neck, helping it heal and recover quickly. Cold compressions can be used on swollen regions where you apply ice for five to fifteen minutes. Of importance to note is that you should not overdo it when using ice because it slows the healing process.
What treatment do you need for neck pain?
Mostly, self-care is usually recommended. But if your neck pain does not go away, you might be experiencing serious neck pain. In this case, you are supposed to consult your physician early for prompt diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause before the pain worsens and becomes severe pain. Generally, neck pain is first treated using nonsurgical options such as medications, physical therapy, and regenerative therapy, including stem cell therapy. Other cases might require injectables like facet joint injections, epidural injections, facet joint nerve blocks, and radiofrequency ablation.
If neck pain is left untreated it may worsen to chronic pain, which can prevent you from resting effectively or participating in activities of daily living. Therefore, if you are experiencing pain and seek relief, you can get started by booking your appointment online at Naples Regenerative Institute today.
