Neck Pain

If you frequently suffer from neck and, shoulder pain, ache in the upper arm, giddiness, numbness in the fingertips, fatigue and a disturbed sleep, your problem might be cervical spondylosis. Spondylosis is age-related wear and tear of the vertebrae and discs in the neck region. It starts mostly after the age of 30 because vertebrae become rough and discs become thinner. Small bones are formed in between the vertebrae and cause compression over the nerves.

Advancing age, trauma, accident, occupational injury and bad postural habits are common causes of cervical spondylosis.

PreventionExercise your neck regularly. Keep it in a relaxed position and support it with a pillow to avoid injury. Try yoga or sports, but consult your doctor before doing so. If your job requires sitting for long hours glued to the chair in front of your computer, then try to take a break every half an hour and move your neck.

Pain relief

Don’t move your neck with a jerk, Keep the movement of your neck as normal as possible. During flare-ups, the pain may be quite bad, and you may need to rest for a day or so. Gently exercise your neck as soon as you are able to; you should not let it stiffen up. Gradually, try to increase the range of the neck movements. Try and practise isometric exercises several times a day. A good physio can help you with exercise. A hot water bottle over the painful area can also relieve pain. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicines can help in initial stages.

Interventions

Cervical epidural injection: This is a simple X-ray guided injection, through which an anti-inflammatory drug is injected around affected vertebrae and nerves in the neck. This helps reduce inflammation and keeps the neck relaxed and movable. Once the neck is relaxed, you can exercise to keep it fit.

Radiofrequency ablation: This is a newer technique, which requires inserting a radiofrequency needle in the neck with live X-ray guidance. Proper position is confirmed with the help of an X-ray machine. Then it is properly placed using radio frequency current to make the painful joint numb. This procedure numbs the sensory part of the facet joint and nerve and does not affect any function of the nerve. Refer