Our board-certified pain management experts offer a wide variety of options for neck pain treatment including:
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), might relieve acute back pain. Take these medications only as directed by your doctor.
Narcotics - Drugs containing opioids, such as oxycodone or hydrocodone, may be used for a short time with close supervision by your doctor. Antidepressants. Low doses of certain types of antidepressants — particularly tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline — have been shown to relieve some types of chronic back pain independent of their effect on depression.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) - Electrodes placed on your skin near the painful areas deliver tiny electrical impulses that may relieve pain.
Steroid injections - Your doctor might inject corticosteroid medications near the nerve roots, into the small facet joints in the bones of the cervical spine or into the muscles in your neck to help with pain. Numbing medications, such as lidocaine, also can be injected to relieve your neck pain.
