Neck pain is a common complaint among many American adults. It typically results from poor body mechanics, worn joints, overuse (hunching for hours), and injury, such as whiplash.
If your neck pain is starting to hinder you from doing even simple tasks, you will greatly benefit from the expertise of a pain management doctor, who can recommend effective neck pain treatment options.
Listed below are some of the common neck pain treatment options your doctor may recommend to help you achieve pain relief and improve your quality of life.
Oral Medications
Oral medications are usually the first-line treatment for neck pain. Your pain management doctor may prescribe muscle relaxants and tricyclic antidepressants for pain relief.
Oral medications are sometimes used in conjunction with other treatment approaches, especially in cases of chronic neck pain.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a non-surgical neck pain treatment procedure that quiets the nerves that carry pain impulses. It involves placing two special needles into your facet joints—the joints that allow your back and neck to bend forward and backward.
To carry out the procedure, your doctor will give you a local anesthetic then insert the needles using a special kind of X-ray to ensure it is placed in the correct location.
The special needles inserted through your skin deliver radio waves to the targeted nerves; these radio waves produce heat, which restricts the nerves’ ability to transmit pain signals.
Steroid Injections
If a pinched nerve or a herniated disc has caused your neck pain, your doctor may recommend a cortisone injection; however, this is only after conservative and other less invasive methods have been exhausted.
Steroids have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, making them an effective option for relieving pain and swelling.
Your doctor will administer a cortisone shot into your neck using an X-ray to ensure precision. The procedure usually takes 30 minutes.
Pain relief from a cortisone shot lasts from a week up to several months.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a revolutionary, non-surgical neck pain treatment alternative that is derived from your own blood.
During your PRP therapy, your doctor will draw your blood, process it in a centrifuge to concentrate the growth-factor-rich platelets, then reinject it into your neck using an ultrasound to ensure accuracy.
This therapy allows your body to utilize its natural healing powers at the target site. As cellular turnover occurs in weeks and your body repairs and replaces the damaged cells, you should experience gradual pain relief.
Neck Pain Treatment in Melbourne, FL
Just because neck pain is common doesn’t mean you should tolerate it. Visit us at Central Florida Spine & Pain for a consultation with our board-certified pain management doctor, Dr. Nicholas Giordano.
Dr. Giordano is trained and experienced in various high-level interventional pain management techniques—such as PRP injections, cortisone shots, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), neuromodulation, and nerve blocks. He will formulate a treatment plan appropriate to your unique situation. Dr. Giordano has already helped dozens of our patients live a pain-free life, and you can trust that he can help you as well.
To arrange an appointment with Dr. Giordano, contact us today at Central Florida Spine & Pain by calling 321-802-5021 or using our online appointment booking form. We look forward to helping you get rid of your pain once and for all!
