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How to Reduce Neck Pain from a Herniated Disc
An estimated 60% of adults over 40 have degenerative spinal disc issues, potentially causing pain and stiffness. Should your disc herniate, it’s even more likely to ache.
Fortunately, pain management physicians Dr. Kevin Elaahi, Dr. Benjamin Kim, and our expert team at Interventional Pain Consultants can help ease your neck pain and restore your quality of life. Here’s what you should know.
What causes a herniated disc?
Bony vertebrae surround your spinal column, which stretches from your spine to your brain. The top seven discs in your spine — your cervical discs — help facilitate normal, pain-free neck movement.
Should one of these discs tear, or become herniated, its inner gel-like material may leak or cause a bulge. This can happen because of:
- Normal aging (i.e., arthritis)
- Sudden movements or strain
- Excess body weight
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Poor posture
As we age, the amount of water in our discs decreases, making them less flexible. Simple twists may increase their risk of rupturing. Dr. Elahi and Dr. Kim help repair the area to reduce your pain, whatever your age.
Signs of a herniated cervical disc
A variety of symptoms may indicate a torn or ruptured disc in your cervical spine, including:
- Neck pain with movement
- Neck tension; muscle spasms
- Reduced head mobility
- Recurrent headache pain
You may also experience numbness or tingling that travels down your neck to your arms and fingers.
Diagnosing your neck pain problem
Our team reviews your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle habits. Then, we conduct a comprehensive physical focusing on your neck and spine. We may also use diagnostic imaging to visualize the area, such as digital X-rays or an MRI scan.
How we relieve neck pain
Our team offers a range of non-surgical treatment options, depending upon your specific needs. We may recommend:
Regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine, such as stem cell injections and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, is a natural, minimally invasive treatment that helps ease inflammation and encourage healing.
Trigger point injections
Trigger point injections target specific muscle areas, known as trigger points, to release tension. They deliver a local anesthetic and/or corticosteroid also help relax these knotted areas, reducing pain.
Epidural injections
An epidural steroid injection delivers anti-inflammatory medicine (corticosteroids) into the area surrounding disc-affected spinal nerves to ease swelling and pain.
Cervical radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses radiofrequency energy waves to heat damaged tissues and control pain.
Medial branch nerve blocks
A nerve block is an injection of anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medications near a nerve that’s irritated by a herniated disc. The medication disrupts pain signals to provide relief.
Facet joint injections
Facet joints connect the bones of your spine to assist movement and stability. Injecting medicines, such as cortisone, into these areas can sometimes alleviate herniated disc pain.
Spinal cord stimulation
For pain that hasn’t responded to other modalities, like physical therapy or injection therapy, we may recommend spinal cord stimulation. This treatment involves the placement of an electrical device beneath your skin to block spinal nerves and reduce pain.
Neck pain self-care at home
Our team also recommends various ways to improve your pain outside our offices. We may advise you to:
- Use a mattress and pillow that properly support your neck and spine
- Make sure your computer desk and chair keep your body properly aligned
- Maintain good posture while walking, sitting, and standing
- Wear well-fitting, supportive shoes
- Bend at your knees, not waist, while lifting
- Keep your head level when talking on the phone
We also refer patients to physical therapists when appropriate.
Get to the root of your neck pain
Whether your persistent neck pain stems from a herniated disc or something else, uncovering the underlying problem is the first step toward healing — and we’re here to help. Call or click online to schedule a visit at your nearest Interventional Pain Consultants office in Parsippany, Montclair, or Landing, New Jersey, today.
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