Chronic Neck Pain Treatment
Learn
- Overview
- What It Is
- Causes
- Risk Factors
- Diagnosis
- Symptoms
- Prognosis
- Living With
- Complications
- User Questions
Take Action
- Screening
- Medications
- Prevention
- Treatment
- Alternative Treatment
- Care Guide
- Questions for Your Doctor
- When to Contact a Doctor
- Find a Doctor
- Resource Guide
How to Treat Chronic Neck Pain
Talk with your doctor about the best plan for you. Options include the following:
Physical Therapy
Your doctor may prescribe therapy for your neck pain. A therapist may work on strength exercises and stretching. Some cases may need ultrasound treatment, mobilization, traction, heat, ice, or other therapy.
Medications
- Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID)-to treat the pain and reduce inflammation
- Opioid pain medications (morphine-like medications)-to treat moderate or severe pain
- Certain antidepressant medications-sometimes used for neck pain
- Antiseizure medications (eg, Gabapentin , Topiramate , etc.)
- A corticosteroid injection -to treat the pain and reduce inflammation caused by disk disease
Other Treatments
There are other treatments that might be helpful for neck pain. Chiropractic care is sometimes used. Acupuncture has shown to benefit some with neck pain. Another example is low-level laser therapy. This noninvasive treatment involves directing a light source on the painful area.
Surgery
Most cases of neck pain are treated medically. In some cases surgery is needed. The type of surgery will depend upon the cause of pain. For example, if you have a herniated disk in your neck, surgery will remove part of the disk.
