Neck pain treatment in Hyderabad,without surgery

What is neck pain?

Neck pain is pain arising from the cervical spine — the seven vertebrae in the neck, the discs between them, the small facet joints at the back, and the muscles and ligaments around them. A short bout after sleeping awkwardly or a long day at a screen usually settles by itself.

Pain that lasts for weeks or keeps returning more often comes from a facet joint or a disc, and it is worth finding out which before treating it.

Common causes of neck pain

Most long-standing neck pain comes from one of the following, and more than one can be present.

• Facet joint pain — wear or strain in the small joints at the back of the neck
• Disc problems — a worn or herniated disc, which can press on a nerve root and cause arm pain
• Cervical spondylosis — age-related wear through the neck
• Muscle strain from posture, long hours at a desk or phone, or stress
• Whiplash after a road accident or sudden jolt

Symptoms of neck pain

Neck pain can be a dull ache or a sharp pain, constant or brought on by certain movements.

• Stiffness and difficulty turning your head
• Pain spreading to the shoulder blade or top of the shoulder
• Headaches that start at the back of the head
• Pain, tingling or numbness running down the arm into the hand
• Muscle spasm in the neck and upper back

How Halcyon finds the cause

At Halcyon’s Kukatpally centre the consultant examines your neck and reviews any X-ray or MRI reports you bring. Wear in the cervical spine shows up on most scans after a certain age, so the scan alone cannot prove which joint is hurting.

A medial branch block is used to answer that question. It temporarily numbs the nerves supplying a suspected facet joint; if your usual pain settles, that joint is the source. The treatment then follows from that answer rather than from a guess.

Non-surgical treatment options at Halcyon

Treatment is aimed at the structure the examination and block have identified. The usual options are:

Posture, regular movement and a suitable exercise programme usually remain part of the plan.

• Medial branch block — confirms the painful facet joint and can ease the pain for a time
• Cervical facet radiofrequency — a precise current interrupts the small nerves carrying the pain signal from that joint, done only if the block has confirmed it
• If a disc pressing on a nerve root is the main problem, the consultant explains the approach for that at the consultation

What to expect on the day and after

Procedures are image-guided and done under local anaesthetic, so you stay awake and talking throughout. There is no general anaesthetic and no admission, and most people are home within about two hours.

Most people go about a normal day afterwards, with aftercare instructions and a review date. How long relief lasts varies with the cause and how worn the joints are, so the consultant gives you a realistic answer for your case.

When to see a doctor

Book an assessment if neck pain has lasted more than a few weeks, keeps returning or spreads into your arm. Go to a hospital emergency department instead if you have:

• Neck pain after a fall, road accident or other injury
• Sudden or worsening weakness in an arm or leg, or clumsiness of the hands
• Difficulty walking or loss of bladder or bowel control
• Neck pain with fever and a stiff neck, or a sudden severe headache