Neck Pain

Neck Pain2022-09-21T21:32:58+00:00

Integrative Spine & Sports provides neck pain treatment in Manhattan, NYC at our Upper West Side spine and sports medicine practice.

Neck Pain

Neck pain is a common complaint, especially for the busy people of New York City. Oftentimes, it’s a result of bad postural habits. In such cases, the neck pain can be fixed with a bit of discipline.

Sometimes, though, neck pain can be a symptom of a more serious problem, which is why it’s important to know about the symptoms, causes, and possible treatments for neck pain. Here we explain the most common symptoms associated with neck pain and the treatment methods our specialists use to get our patients on the road to recovery.

Neck Pain Treatment in NYC

We offer non-surgical options for the treatment of injuries and medical conditions affecting the neck, with an integrative approach that may include:

  • Chiropractic techniques
  • Trigger Point Injections
  • Physical therapy modalities
  • Anti-Inflammatory Medication
  • Image Ordering

Neck Pain Specialists

Our neck pain specialists in Manhattan create custom treatments designed to meet the needs of people suffering from acute pain due to injury, as well as those experiencing chronic conditions affecting the muscles, discs, soft tissue and nerves within the neck and cervical spine.

Our integrative team, consisting of a board-certified physiatrist, chiropractors, and physical therapists, offers comprehensive treatment for acute and chronic neck pain treatment in NYC.

What neck conditions can you treat?

We offer non-surgical neck pain treatment in NYC for the following conditions:

What are the signs & symptoms of neck pain?

Common signs & symptoms of neck pain include:

  • Decreased head mobility
  • Headache
  • Tightness/spasms in neck muscles
  • Most cases of neck pain can go away with enough time and rest.

We recommend consulting your doctor when your neck pain:

  • Intensifies
  • Persists for several days without relief
  • Spreads to other parts of the body
  • Comes with headache, numbness, weakness, or tingling.

What are the causes of neck pain?

Bad posture often happens when one gets used to bad postural habits, such as slouching while sitting or simply leaning on 1 leg. These bad habits often enable poor posture, which affects the back and, in turn, the neck as well.

Bad posture can also result from a lack of exercise. The abs and lower back make up our core, which is what keeps our upper bodies from falling apart. If one’s core muscles are weak, it becomes harder for the spine to stay upright, which results in bad posture.

To fix bad posture, we recommend doing core-strengthening exercises for at least 5 minutes a day — even simple ab exercises, yoga, or pilates will help strengthen the core enough to reduce bad posture.

There are also specific stretches for improving posture. They should only take 5 minutes and minimal effort. But it’s important to note that these stretches must be done every day for their effects to be noticeable.

Often, we don’t notice how poorly we angle our necks, especially when staring at our computer, phone, or TV. We don’t notice it because the pain doesn’t happen right away. It happens after we maintain the position for a long period of time.

The thing is, when we slant our neck forward in such a way that our head is in front of our shoulders (rather than directly above them), the neck works extra hard to maintain that position.

This extra effort puts unnecessary stress on the neck muscles and can result in neck pain if the angle of the neck is not corrected — similar to how one’s shoulders will hurt if they stretch it out for a long enough period of time.

To correct neck position and avoid unnecessary neck pain, try the following:

  • Figure out what is causing the poor neck position. Possible causes are the height of one’s computer monitor, the level at which one views their phone, the height of one’s TV, etc.
  • Make sure your monitor is at eye level. If your computer monitor is too high or low, adjust the height and bring the top of the monitor to eye level. The perfect monitor height will take a few tries to get right, but it pays off in the end.
  • Make sure your phone is at eye level. If you’re looking down when you use your phone, try wedging your clenched fist underneath the armpit of your phone-holding arm. Doing this brings your phone screen up to eye level. Do the same thing when you read books.
  • Adjust car head rest. When driving, it is also important to pay attention to one’s neck position. To prevent neck pain from occurring on a long drive, adjust your head rest so that it presses against the middle of your head. This keeps your neck in a neutral position and prevents neck pain.

Poor neck position is, thankfully, very fixable. As long as one constantly reminds themself to fix their neck position, the resulting neck pain shouldn’t last very long.

Sleeping in an awkward position has also been found to cause neck pain. Sleeping on one’s stomach tends to place strain on the neck and spin, while sleeping on one’s side can cause misalignment.

Obviously, there are exceptions to this, and it is sometimes okay to sleep on one’s stomach or side. But one should first make sure to use a pillow that supports the spine naturally in order to prevent neck pain.

Generally, it’s much better to just sleep on one’s back. This is often the best position to sleep as it lets the entire spine rest comfortably without stress.

If changing to a back-sleeping position still doesn’t work, getting a new pillow might help. Preferably one that supports and maintains the natural curve of the neck.

In some cases, neck pain can persist or worsen, often because of a condition or injury.

If any of the following has happened to you, consult your doctor immediately.

  • Whiplash – a neck injury that involves a forceful, rapid back-and-forth of the neck, similar to the cracking of a whip; often caused by car collisions.
  • Herniated disc – a spine injury that often occurs after a single excessive strain on the spine
  • Degenerative disc disease – happens when one or more of the discs in the spinal column breaks down, often due to age or when bearing too much weight
  • Osteoarthritis – can happen due to eroding cartilage and inflammation
  • Spinal stenosis – can happen when the spinal canal narrows due to degeneration

Neck Pain FAQs

Does Coronavirus (COVID-19) cause neck pain?2022-09-22T13:59:23+00:00

One of the less common symptoms of COVID-19 are “aches and pains”, but there is no confirmation on whether COVID-19 causes neck pain. Some patients report experiencing a deep, severe pain along the left side of their brain stem. It is unknown whether this is a symptom of COVID-19. If the neck pain persists, consult your doctor.

How should I sleep with neck pain?2022-09-22T13:59:29+00:00

Generally, the best position to sleep is on your back. Sleeping on one’s back ensures that the spine is in a neutral position, which can reduce the chance of waking up with neck pain.

Can neck pain be a sign of something serious?2022-09-22T13:59:36+00:00

Yes, it can. Often, neck pain is merely a result of bad postural habits (like slouching) or lack of exercise. But sometimes, neck pain can also be a sign of serious conditions involving the spine, such as degenerative disc disease or spinal stenosis.

We provide our patients with an integrated and holistic team approach to getting better.

We provide our patients with an integrated and holistic team approach to getting better.

Conditions Treated

We treat individuals suffering from a variety of acute injuries as well as chronic conditions.

Services & Treatments

Our focus is on promoting healing, restoring function and alleviating pain for patients.

Book an Appointment

We offer two convenient locations for patients: the Upper West Side or Madison Avenue.

Go to Top