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Neck Pain Relief 
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Understanding Neck Pain: Causes and Care

Poor posture, whether caused by long hours of computer usage or a slouched position at a workbench, can strain the neck muscles. Neck pain begins in the neck and often radiates to one or both arms. The pain occurs mostly due to problems with the nerves, joints, muscles, tissues, and ligaments in the neck region.

Neck pain may be “sharp” and shoot into neighbouring areas like the shoulder or arm, or may be felt solely in the neck. A discomfort in the neck that extends for several days or up to six weeks is termed acute pain. Chronic neck pain, however, may extend for more than three months.

Whether acute or chronic, untreated neck pain can be a serious hindrance to your routine activities and impact the overall quality of life in the long run.

The good news is that throat aches are mostly not serious and can be cured with a simple method, which includes proper pain medication, some exercises, and some stress management techniques. In other very rare cases, it can be a serious illness.

Any neck pain accompanied by weakness or numbness requires immediate medical attention. Similarly, you should consult your doctor if your neck pain radiates to your shoulder and arms. Additionally, persistent neck pain also warrants immediate diagnosis and treatment.

Neck Pain Risk Factors: The Contributors

Risk factors causing neck pain are always those involved in musculoskeletal problems. Common ones include genetics (if it runs in the family), mental health stigma (such as anxiety, depression, or body conversion of stress into actual pain), smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and sleep disturbances. Yet, neck pain has its peculiar set of risk factors:

Age – risk increase with advancing age
Heavy lifting and twisting – both sudden and chronic
Obesity
Poor physical fitness/conditioning
Poor postural habits
History of trauma
Smoking
Psychiatric history (chronic LBP)

While specific occupations like computer and office workers, healthcare professionals, and manual labourers have been identified in research as having a heightened incidence of neck pain, the primary culprits within the workplace are often linked to low job satisfaction and a perception of an unfavourable work environment.

Neck Pain: Causes and Warning Signs

What spinal problems cause neck pain?

Neck pain may result from abnormalities in any of the soft tissue components due to injury (a sprain) as well as in bones and disks of the spine by prolonged wear and tear. Rarely, infection or tumors may cause neck pain. Pain in the jaw, head or shoulders may also spread to the neck and cause pain. Conversely, in some people, problems in the neck can also make other parts of the body hurt, such as the head, upper back, shoulders or arms.

The important spinal conditions responsible for neck pain are listed below:

A woman rubbing her neck due to neck pain.
  • Slipped Disc/Cervical Herniated Disc
    A slipped disc occurs when the gelatinous centre of the spinal disc bulges and puts pressure on the nearby spinal nerve or the spinal cord — resulting in acute pain radiating to the arms and numbness and weakness in the region.
  • Cervical Spinal Stenosis
    This spinal condition occurs when arthritis-induced changes and wear and tear of the herniated disc cause the narrowing of the spinal canal housing the spinal cord and nerves. This narrowing of “stenosis” puts pressure on the spinal nerve — leading to pain, weakness, and numbness in that area. Without timely medical treatment, the condition can progress, and the pain can radiate to the shoulders and arms and impact your gait.
  • Spinal Arthritis/Cervical Spondylosis
    Spinal arthritis is the wear and tear of the joints and the discs that occur in the neck region. This occurs because of age-related cartilage wear and tear, which leads to the development of bone spurs. These spurs may sometimes press on the nerves — causing pain, limited range of motion, and stiffness.
  • Tumours and Infections
    Rare bacterial infections of the vertebrae or abnormal growth (tumour) in the neck (such as osteomyelitis) are a serious cause of constant neck pain and require immediate medical evaluation.

Warning Signs

Presence of these symptoms should alert to a more serious underlying cause and a prompt consultation with your doctor is recommended in such cases
  • Arm pain > Neck pain
  • Neurological deficits (weakness/ numbness)
  • Bladder or bowel dysfunction
  • Sudden severe pain not subsiding in 2 days
  • Mild to moderate pain not subsiding in 1 week
  • Any pain > 6 weeks (on and off)
  • Post-traumatic pain
  • Pain even on lying down
  • Age > 60 yr
  • Associated symptoms fever, weight loss, h/o cancer, immunosuppression or steroid use
Rapid onset of neck pain and stiffness, especially overnight, accompanied by challenges in raising both arms above the head, may be indicative of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). PMR is an inflammatory muscle condition that tends to affect individuals predominantly aged 65 and above. If you identify with these symptoms, seeking prompt medical attention is imperative for timely evaluation and diagnosis by a healthcare professional.
The image shows a man appearing unhappy with his neck pain.

Neck Pain Diagnosis: The Spine 360 Approach

Your journey to a pain-free life starts with a clear understanding of what's wrong. At Spine 360, our lead spine specialist, Dr. Umesh Srikantha, takes a careful and personal approach to diagnosis. A thorough conversation about your symptoms, followed by a hands-on physical exam, gives us crucial insights into your condition. However, if we need to see the exact source of nerve pressure, we may use advanced imaging to confirm our findings.

Non-Surgical Treatment Methods for Managing Mild to Moderate Neck Pain

In cases of mild to moderate neck pain, which are the most common, timely self-care measures often yield positive outcomes within a span of two to three weeks. Simple remedies such as pain relievers and the application of heat can prove effective in providing relief.

Bed rest – either relative rest or absolute rest based on the severity of pain - You may benefit from a cervical collar, which stabilizes your neck.
Local application of ice packs followed 24-48 hours later by heat. In the initial phase ice reduces swelling, pain and spasms. Once acute pain subsides, switching over to heat (hot water bag application) reduces spasm, and warmth relaxes the muscles.
Over-the-counter analgesics – (Paracetamol or Diclofenac) (It is strongly recommended to consult a doctor before self-medication)
Spinal Injections — Corticosteroids are directly administered to the affected areas via epidural steroid injections. This treatment approach minimises inflammation and relieves pain.
Spinal Injections - Epidural steroid injections deliver corticosteroids directly to the affected area to reduce inflammation and pain.

Minimally Invasive Surgery: A Modern Approach to Neck Pain From Spinal Causes

Perhaps our first step in developing the treatment strategy shows an understanding of what a neck surgery can do. Few are good at curing the arm pain, numbness, or slight weakness felt starting from the neck (cervical radiculopathy). Others are aimed at curing chronic, mechanical neck pain caused by an unstable spine.

At Spine 360, Dr. Umesh Srikantha specialises in minimally invasive neck surgery so that the precise origin of your symptoms can be treated with the utmost preservation of your body. Below is an outline of how our advanced techniques treat these specific problems:

Frequently Asked Questions on Spine-related Neck Pain

Cervical pain, or neck pain, is most commonly felt as discomfort or pain along the neck radiating out to the shoulders or arms. Symptoms consist of:

  • A sharp pain that seems to dart through the neck and the arm
  • Stiffness in the neck, with a decreased range of motion
  • Numbness or tingling sensations, with some perceived weakness in the arms or hands
  • Headaches, especially located at the base of the skull
  • Sometimes — difficulty with walking, maintaining balance, or with bladder/bowel emptying
ACDF/Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion — A surgical procedure to rectify neck stability and relieve pain in the arm. In this minimally invasive procedure, the surgeon extricates the herniated disc to eliminate the nerve compression. Then, the vertebrae are fused to make the spine more stable and alleviate neck pain.

Artificial Cervical Disc Replacement (ADR) surgery is a safe approach to relieve nerve compression and retain the neck’s natural range of motion. During the procedure, the herniated or damaged disc is replaced with an artificial one. ADR is also a safe alternative to spinal fusion surgery and helps in retaining joint flexibility and function.

Neck surgery is considered when:

  • Conservative treatments fail to relieve pain
  • Pain lasts and interferes with daily life
  • There are worsening neurological symptoms (e.g., numbness, weakness, coordination issues)
  • The patient struggles with balance or walking due to spinal cord compression
  • General health allows surgical interventions

You may experience pain and discomfort at the base of the skull due to:

  • Cervical spine conditions such as disc herniation or spondylosis
  • Referral pain from spine-related conditions
  • Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) — an inflammatory condition in older adults
  • Muscle strain due to poor sitting, standing and sleeping postures, and prolonged device usage
A happy doctor with a stethoscope.

Go Pain-Free Choose Spine 360

Consult our expert spine surgeon, Dr. Umesh Srikantha, for spine-related neck pain and start your journey to a pain-free life.
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