Neck pain can vary from a slight twinge after sleeping awkwardly to such intense agony that it’s impossible to move your head. If you’re suffering from pain or loss of function related to your neck, Dr. Barry F. Faust, Jr. can help. At his practice, Faust Interventional Pain in Metairie, Louisiana, Dr. Faust offers a comprehensive range of therapies for neck pain, including advanced options such as epidural steroid injections and spinal cord stimulation. To find out how he can help you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Faust by calling his office today, or book an appointment online. The practice serves patients throughout New Orleans, Slidell, Metairie, and the surrounding areas.
(504) 350-8700
Faust Interventional Pain
Barry F. Faust Jr., MD
Interventional Pain Medicine located in Metairie, LA
Neck Pain Q & A
What might be causing my neck pain?
There are seven vertebrae in your cervical spine (neck) along with discs, ligaments, muscles, and nerves, any of which could suffer an injury or deteriorate over time.
Neck pain often stems from poor posture — hunching over a keyboard for hours, or sleeping with your head at an odd angle, for instance. You could also damage your neck when playing sports or if you have a fall. One of the most frequent neck injuries is whiplash, which often happens in rear-end auto accidents.
Aging and overuse can also result in neck pain, causing common degenerative conditions like:
- Herniated discs
- Facet joint arthritis
- Bone spurs
- Spinal stenosis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Cervical radiculopathy
Cervical radiculopathy is a pinched nerve in your neck. The nerves that come off your spinal cord have to go through gaps in the vertebrae to reach the rest of your body. Therefore, any misalignment or narrowing in your spinal canal (as happens with the conditions above) can put pressure on the nerves and cause radiculopathy.
If you have cervical radiculopathy, you’ll probably experience additional symptoms to your neck pain, which could include tingling, prickling, or burning sensations that spread down your arms, weakness in your arms, and some loss of function.
How is neck pain diagnosed?
When you have neck pain, it’s important to determine the cause so you can receive the most helpful treatment. Dr. Faust begins the process by looking at your medical history and talking to you about how your neck pain started and your current symptoms.
He then examines your neck to see if he can see or feel anything abnormal and asks you to move your head in certain ways so he can see what movement limitations you have.
The information he gathers during your exam helps Dr. Faust to reach a diagnosis, which he can confirm with X-rays or other diagnostic imaging techniques. These tests provide visual confirmation of the diagnosis, highlight the extent of the damage, and flag any additional concerns.
What treatment might I need for neck pain?
Dr. Faust carefully develops a suitable treatment plan for you that addresses your needs and accounts for any other health conditions you have. Your program could include:
- Activity modification
- Physical therapy
- Anti-inflammatory pain relief
- Hot and cold treatments
- Massage
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
- Therapeutic ultrasound
- Epidural steroid injections
- Facet joint therapy
- Trigger point injection therapy
For the most severe and persistent cases of neck pain where no other treatments are working, Dr. Faust also offers advanced interventions like radiofrequency ablation and spinal cord stimulation.
To find out why you’re suffering from neck pain and get fast, effective treatment, call Faust Interventional Pain today to schedule a consultation, or book an appointment online.