Neck Pain

Conditions like osteoarthritis and pinched nerves are common causes of neck pain that often require expert treatment. If you have neck pain, visit Stepan Kasimian, MD, and his colleagues at HAAS Spine & Orthopaedics. The practice has convenient offices in Glendale, Santa Ana, and Upland, California , offering advanced solutions to neck pain. Call HAAS Spine & Orthopaedics today or book an appointment online to benefit from superior neck pain treatment.

What causes neck pain?

Injury or overuse often causes neck pain, damaging the connective tissues, nerves, discs, and vertebrae (bones) that form the spine. Chronic (long-term) diseases and spinal abnormalities can also cause neck pain. Common neck pain causes include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Herniated discs
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal stenosis (narrowed spinal canal)
• Whiplash injuries
• Bone spurs
• Cervical radiculopathy

Radiculopathy is nerve compression (or pinching) in the spine caused by damaged or misaligned tissues and bones pinching the spinal nerves. Radiculopathy can cause weakness, numbness, unpleasant tingling, prickling sensations, and pain. These symptoms can spread into your shoulders and arms.

How is neck pain treated?

Strained muscles and other causes of mild neck pain should improve after a few days of rest. Ice or heat packs and anti-inflammatory medicine can also help.

If your neck pain doesn’t quickly improve, gets worse, or is severe, you should call HAAS Spine & Orthopaedics for advice. Their doctors will examine your neck and determine the cause of your pain.

Moderate or severe neck pain could require physical therapy. Patients whose pain doesn’t improve might benefit from epidural steroid injections. These contain powerful anti-inflammatory medication and a local anesthetic to reduce inflammation and pain.

If your neck pain doesn’t improve, your doctor might recommend surgery.

What surgery might I need for neck pain?

The surgery your HAAS Spine & Orthopaedics doctor recommends for neck pain will depend on its cause. Choices include:

Discectomy

Discectomy removes an entire damaged disc from your neck. If the disc has enough healthy tissue, your surgeon might do a microdiscectomy, removing only the damaged part(s).

Decompression

Decompression surgeries widen your spinal canal when age and disease cause narrowing (spinal stenosis). Your HAAS Spine & Orthopaedics surgeon removes pieces of the vertebrae to increase space and relieve nerve compression.

Fusion

Fusion joins two or more vertebrae using a bone graft. If you have a discectomy or decompression surgery, fusion stabilizes your spine afterward.

Artificial disc replacement

An artificial disc replaces a damaged or diseased natural one following a discectomy. Artificial discs offer more natural spinal movement than fusion but aren’t suitable for all patients.

HAAS Spine & Orthopaedics surgeons specialize in minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS). Their advanced techniques minimize tissue damage, reducing pain after surgery and encouraging faster healing.

Call HAAS Spine & Orthopaedics today or book an appointment online to get expert relief from your neck pain.