Neck Pain Treatment Specialist in Rapid City, SD

Neck pain happens quite regularly as our necks are used to support our heads every day. Many causes of neck pain are related to our everyday tasks and can be a direct result of how we hold our heads. Poor posture is a leading cause of neck pain, typically from being hunched or bent over a workstation or computer for several hours during the day, causing muscle strain in the neck muscles. It is also often caused by sleeping with your head bent at an odd angle, or with your neck in an awkward position, causing it to be stiff and sore the next morning. 

The neck is a joint in the body, and like other joints, it can wear down with time and age, and be impacted by osteoarthritis. In the neck, osteoarthritis causes the deterioration of the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones, so they don’t rub together. Herniated disks or bone spurs can occur in the vertebrae where they come up from your spine, into the back of the neck, causing compression of the nerves. 

Neck pain can come from a car accident, where the driver or one of the passengers can receive a whiplash injury from the head being thrown backward and then forward in quick succession, causing the soft tissues in the neck to be strained from the impact and resulting movement. Lastly, certain diseases can cause neck pain. These diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, or meningitis.

Depending on the type of neck pain and what is causing it, a diagnosis can be performed simply through a physical exam or diagnostic imaging tests. The first step in a diagnosis will be a review of your symptoms and medical history, as well as a physical exam. 

During the exam, the doctor will test for numbness, weakness, and tenderness in the muscles and tendons. They will also ask you to move your head around, including forwarding, backward, and side to side to check on the range of motion and any points of discomfort in the muscles and tendons when moving the head. From there, your doctor might order some diagnostic imaging tests to help pinpoint the cause of the pain. This can be more accurate as it will give your doctor a picture of the inner workings of your neck.
 
Diagnostic imaging tests your doctor can choose from include x-rays that will show potential bone spurs or changes caused by degeneration that are affecting the nerves or spinal cord. CT scans will provide an inner view of the neck from a variety of different angles to provide the doctor with a full picture of what is going on with the muscles and tendons. An MRI may also be an option to show the bones and soft tissues in great detail.

Neck pain is rarely serious, requiring intense medical intervention. Instead, it responds well to at-home treatments such as rest, ice, and over-the-counter painkillers. If the pain doesn’t go away, is getting worse, or isn’t responding to at-home treatments, patients can make an appointment with their doctor to discuss their treatment options. This may mean stronger medications through a prescription, such as painkillers, muscle relaxants, or antidepressants. 

At Rapid City Interventional Pain Clinic, we offer our patients efficient and personalized care. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 101 E Minnesota St. Suite 301 Rapid City, SD 57701. We serve patients from Rapid City SD, Rapid Valley SD, Black Hawk SD, Box Elder SD, Sturgis SD, and surrounding areas.