Back and Neck Pain

Everyone has experienced a crick in the neck or a twinge in the back from time to time. But when back or neck pain keeps you from moving through the day with ease, it becomes more than a nuisance: It interferes with your daily life.

Neck pain is typically felt in the cervical vertebrae of your spine – the seven vertebrae at the top of your spine. Back pain can be felt anywhere below the neck. Low back pain is the most common form of back pain, affecting more than 3 million people in the U.S. every year. Back pain is considered chronic if the pain lasts three month or longer.

What Causes Back and Neck Pain?

There are many different causes of back and neck pain, including:

Injury to the spine
Fractures
Overuse or repetitive strenuous activity
Degeneration of the spine
Infection
Bone spur
Sprain or strain
Muscle spasm
Herniated disc

Back and Neck Pain Symptoms

Depending on the severity of your neck or back pain, and the cause, your symptoms can vary.

Common back and neck pain symptoms include:

Sharp or dull, achy pain in the back
Inability to bend or move easily
May persist throughout the day or occur during specific activities
May be worse when sitting and improve slightly with walking

Treatments for Back and Neck Pain

There are many treatment options to help relieve your neck and back pain. A specialist can diagnose the cause of your pain and create a treatment plan that relieves pain and restores function.

Treatment options available include:

Physical therapy — A physical therapist will work closely with your physician to develop exercises to strengthen your neck or back.
Medication — Over-the-counter pain medicine and anti-inflammatories can often help relieve symptoms while your body heals. Your physician may also prescribe additional medication to help the healing process.
Injections — Corticosteroids and other injections can help relieve inflammation, swelling and pain to help your body heal.
Surgery — If a non-surgical approach isn’t relieving your pain, your provider may discuss surgical options. Temple Health is pleased to offer a wide range of surgical procedures, including noninvasive approaches. Surgical options for back and neck pain include spinal fusion, microdiscectomy, disc replacement surgery, spinal decompression and more.