Neck Pain

Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center

Neurosurgery located in Scottsdale, AZ & Tucson, AZ

Neck pain has a significant impact on your daily life, making it difficult to work, carry out your normal activities, and even sleep. If you have neck pain, Abhishiek Sharma, MD, and Erik Curtis, MD, of Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center in Phoenix, provide a range of highly effective treatments, including advanced surgical options and more conservative approaches. Schedule your consultation by calling Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center today, or book an appointment online.

Neck Pain Q & A

What causes neck pain?

In many cases, neck pain arises because of damage to one or more of the structures in your neck. Your neck is made up of:

Cervical vertebrae
Muscles
Ligaments
Tendons
Nerves

Overworking neck muscles through repetitive activity, strain, and tension from stress and anxiety are all common causes of neck pain. More serious injuries such as whiplash, torn tendons and ligaments, herniated discs, or fractures, also cause severe neck pain.

Neck pain can develop from degenerative conditions affecting the cervical vertebrae, the most likely causes being osteoarthritis or degenerative disc disease. The deterioration of the spinal structures leads to bones rubbing against bones, causing pain and inflammation, and leading to nerve compression. Osteoarthritis also causes bone spurs to develop, adding to your discomfort.

How is neck pain diagnosed?

The team at Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center starts the diagnostic process by reviewing your medical history and discussing your current symptoms. They then carry out a thorough physical exam to locate the source of your neck pain. They see if you have any weakness or signs of nerve damage, and how the problem affects your range of movement.

You may need to undergo diagnostic testing, such as X-rays, a CT scan, or an MRI. If there’s a possibility of nerve damage, you may need a nerve function test or EMG as well.

What treatments are available for neck pain?

If home treatments don’t resolve the problem within a few days, the team at Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center has a range of treatment options that help with neck pain, such as:

Epidural spinal injections
Targeted exercise
Prescription medications
Physical therapy

When these initial treatments don’t help, or if you have a condition that requires it, surgery could be the best option. The team at Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center specializes in performing spinal surgery, including advanced procedures such as:

Anterior cervical discectomy
Anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF)
Cervical disc arthroplasty
Cervical corpectomy
Cervical foraminotomy
Cervical laminectomy
Cervical laminoplasty
Minimally invasive cervical discectomy

The surgeons at Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center are particularly skilled in using minimally invasive surgical techniques and robot-assisted surgery to provide optimal outcomes for their patients.

If you experience neck pain, don’t wait for it to get any worse. Call Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center today or book an appointment online.

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