Cervicalgia is a medical term used to describe pain or discomfort in the neck region. This discomfort tends to develop on the back or side of your neck, and it can be brought on by a number of different issues, including acute trauma, repetitive strain or underlying health conditions. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the common reasons why cervicalgia develops, and how Dr. Jackman can help pinpoint the source of discomfort and get you set up with a plan for treatment.
Causes And Symptoms Of Cervicalgia
Cervicalgia can develop for a number of different reasons. As we mentioned above, you might develop cervicalgia as a result of direct trauma to the neck area, like if you experience whiplash during a car accident or athletics, or as a result of repetitive motions, like if you regularly look down at your phone to check your messages or send texts. Neck pain can also develop because of underlying spinal conditions, like spinal stenosis, disc degeneration or nerve compression. Some patients may experience neck pain as a result of prolonged muscle tension caused by stress and anxiety, so it’s important to speak to a physician if you’re dealing with neck pain to ensure you know exactly what’s causing your discomfort.
Aside from neck pain and discomfort, some common symptoms associated with cervicalgia include:
- Pain with movement
- Decreased flexibility
- Muscle tension
- Stiffness
- Tenderness
- Shooting discomfort in the arms or legs
- Headaches
Diagnosing and Treating Cervicalgia
Because cervicalgia is more of a general term to describe neck discomfort, it’s important to visit your primary care physician or a neck specialist to figure out what’s causing your symptoms. This can be done with the help of a physical exam and some imaging tests. During your initial appointment, your spine specialist will review your medical history, talk to you about your symptoms and their onset and then take a closer look at your neck during the physical exam. They will likely have you manipulate your neck in different directions to see how it responds to these movements and to get a better idea of your restrictions and capabilities.
This can help a doctor get a better idea of what they are dealing with, but odds are they’ll want to confirm their suspicions with the help of an imaging test like an X-ray or MRI. This will allow them to see the bones or soft tissues in the cervical region so that an accurate diagnosis can be made.
Once your specialist has determined what’s going on in your neck, a treatment plan can be developed. As you might imagine, treatment will be dependent on the root cause of discomfort, but for many people dealing with minor or moderate causes, conservative care can help to provide immense relief. Those techniques include physical therapy, range of motion exercises, anti-inflammatory medications, posture improvements, gentle stretching and a combination of ice and heat.
For more severe cases, or in the event that conservative care doesn’t rectify the problem, more hands-on strategies may be recommended. Those many include oral steroids, muscle relaxers, corticosteroid injections or even a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Dr. Jackman has helped countless patients find neck pain relief through all of these techniques, and he’d be more than happy to find the right solution for you.
So if you are dealing with chronic neck pain or discomfort that seems to come and go in waves, know that this isn’t normal and that your best bet is to seek treatment. By figuring out what you’re up against, we’re confident that we can find a treatment plan that is right for you. For more information, or to set up an appointment with Dr. Jackman’s office, give his team a call today at (651) 430-3800.
