Neck pain

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Neck pain

Overview

Treatment

Neck pain

Alternative Names:

Pain - neck; Neck stiffness
Home Care:

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For minor, common causes of neck pain:

Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Apply heat or ice to the painful area. One good method is to use ice for the first 48 - 72 hours, then use heat after that. Heat may be applied with hot showers, hot compresses, or a heating pad. Be careful not to fall asleep with a heating pad on.
Perform slow range-of-motion exercises -- up-and-down, side-to-side, and from ear-to-ear -- to gently stretch the neck muscles.
Have a partner gently massage the sore or painful areas.
Try sleeping on a firm mattress without a pillow or with a special neck pillow.

Call your health care provider if:

One week of self care hasn't helped.
You have a fever and headache, and your neck is so stiff that you cannot touch your chin to your chest. THIS MAY BE MENINGITIS -- CALL 911 or get to a hospital.
You have numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm or hand.
Your neck pain was caused by a fall, blow, or injury (if you cannot move your arm or hand, have someone call 911).
You have swollen glands or a lump in your neck.
Your pain does not respond to standard doses of over-the-counter pain medication.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Your doctor will perform a physical examination and ask detailed questions about your neck pain, such as:

Is your pain in the front, back, or side of your neck?
Are both sides of your neck affected equally?
When did the pain first develop?
Is it painful all the time or does pain come and go?
Can you touch your chin to your chest?
What makes your neck feel worse? What makes your neck feel better?
Do you have neck weakness or neck stiffness?
Do you have any accompanying symptoms like numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm or hand?
Do you have swollen glands or a lump in your neck?

The following diagnostic tests may be performed:

X-rays of the neck
CT scan of the neck or head
Blood tests such as a complete blood count or a thyroid test
A spinal tap for a cerebrospinal fluid analysis if meningitis is suspected
Occasionally, an MRI of the neck

If the pain is due to muscle spasm or a pinched nerve, your doctor may prescribe a muscle relaxant and possibly a more powerful pain reliever. Prescription drugs are not necessarily better than over-the-counter medications. The doctor may prescribe a neck collar or, if there is nerve damage, refer you to a neurologist or neurosurgeon for consultation.