Seven Causes of Neck Pain

At Interventional Orthopedics of Atlanta, Dr. Christopher Williams often hears his patients complaining about pain in their neck. Neck pain can be caused by many things, which makes it important to seek out medical care when your pain doesn’t go away after a period of time or continues to worsen. While neck pain is rarely a symptom of a serious issue, it’s important to immediately seek medical care if your neck pain involves numbness or shooting pain into your shoulder or down your arm. We work diligently to help his patients throughout Atlanta, GA treat their neck pain at the source of the problem.

Symptoms of a neck problem

Some of the common symptoms of neck pain include:

• Muscle tightness

• Muscle spasms

• Pain that worsens after holding your head up

• Inability to move your head

• Frequent headaches

While a lot of neck pain will improve gradually with home treatment, there are times you may need to visit Dr. Williams for neck pain relief. Contact Interventional Orthopedics of Atlanta when your pain is severe, continues for days without any relief, goes into your arms or legs, and when you’re experiencing weakness or tingling.

Causes of neck pain

Your neck is vulnerable to injury since it is flexible and supports the entire head. Some of the most common causes of neck pain that Dr. Williams treats patients in Atlanta, GA, for include:

1. Muscle strains: Overuse, such as an extended period of time at a desk or on the phone, can trigger muscle strains. Teeth grinding can also lead to a strain. This can often lead to a pain in the back of the head at the base of the skull and neck.

2. Worn joints: Your neck joints can wear down with age. Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage between your vertebrae to deteriorate, which affects movement and causes pain.

3. Nerve compression: Herniated disks or even bone spurs in the vertebrae of your neck can press on nerves, leading to neck pain.

4. Whiplash: Rear-end auto collisions often result in whiplash, which occurs when your head is moved backward and then forward, which leads to soft tissue strains.

5. Rheumatoid arthritis: Arthritis can lead to the wearing away of cartilage between the bones in the neck, which leads to pain and discomfort.

6. Poor posture: Poor posture can lead to neck strain and continuous pressure on the nerve of the neck.

7. Stress: Stress can lead to a stiff neck and pain.

Ultimately, identifying the cause of your neck pain is the first step that Dr. Williams takes to treat it best. During a neck pain consultation at our Atlanta, GA office, we will evaluate your neck, listen to your symptoms, and take a health history that helps us determine the source of your neck pain.

When to seek professional neck pain treatment

If your efforts to relieve your pain at home haven't worked or you think your symptoms are caused by a more serious problem, it’s time to schedule an appointment at Interventional Orthopedics of Atlanta. Dr. Williams offers different effective neck pain treatments, including Regenexx® cellular therapy (e.g. platelet-rich plasma therapy - PRP). Once Dr. Williams has evaluated your case and performed any necessary imaging studies, he can determine what may be causing your neck pain and determine the most appropriate treatment for you.

Free yourself from neck pain with neck pain treatment in Atlanta, GA

You don’t have to live in pain. When your neck pain won’t go away, it’s time to seek help from someone who is familiar with different causes of neck pain. At Interventional Orthopedics of Atlanta, Dr. Christopher Williams helps patients throughout Atlanta, GA, during an in-office appointment or a virtual consultation. Learn more about neck pain relief options today.