Neck Pain Treatment
Evaluation & treatment — diagnosis and treatment at Arthritis Care of Texas.
Neck pain is common. It often comes from muscle strain, posture, or wear and tear in the small joints of the neck. Most neck pain improves with time, movement, and simple treatments. Our team also checks for less common causes, such as arthritis or a pinched nerve.
Most neck pain is mechanical — muscles, joints, and posture — and it settles. The goal is control of the episode in front of us and fewer episodes overall: success looks like pain easing week by week, full head movement returning, and a simple routine of posture and exercises that keeps it away. Where an underlying arthritis or nerve problem is driving it, that is treated directly.
Your neck — also referred to as the cervical spine — is a delicate accumulation of vertebrae, nerves, and muscles that work to support your head. The neck is very flexible and capable of rotating from side to side, up and down. Though the neck is not weak, it is susceptible to injury and pain. Neck pain is a common complaint and is often the result of poor posture, whiplash, or even stress. Even a simple fall or sports injury can cause a sprain or compress a disc. If you are experiencing neck pain that won't go away, rheumatologic treatment may be your solution.
Did you know… a study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that rheumatologic treatment results in significant improvement in pain levels among patients who experience chronic neck pain? Millions of Americans suffer from neck pain every day, many of whom could find relief by visiting a rheumatologist — and many find that treatment also helps alleviate other symptoms, such as headaches and migraines.
Should I see a Corpus Christi rheumatologist for my neck pain?
Yes. Our dedicated staff is trained and experienced in all types of musculoskeletal pain. Diagnostic testing and an in-person consultation will make it possible for a rheumatologist to determine whether your chronic neck pain can be treated with rheumatology. If your rheumatologist believes it will be best served by a different type of medical practitioner, he or she will give you the appropriate referral.
What should I expect from my comprehensive rheumatologist appointment?
Your rheumatologist will perform a neck adjustment or cervical manipulation treatment — a manual procedure that takes just seconds to complete but is capable of delivering instantaneous results. Many patients experience immediate relief of chronic neck pain, as well as muscle stiffness. You may hear popping as your rheumatologist completes the cervical adjustment, but the treatment is not likely to be painful.
Is there anything I can do to help prevent neck pain in the future?
Yes. You may experience less neck pain by periodically visiting the rheumatologist for preventative adjustments. In addition, your rheumatologist may suggest getting frequent massages or practicing better posture to protect yourself against recurrent neck pain.
Did you know?
- Your head weighs about as much as a bowling ball — 10 to 12 pounds — and your neck carries it around all day, usually without a word of complaint.
- “Text neck” adds up: tilting your head far forward over a phone can multiply the strain on your neck several times over.
- Your neck is the most mobile part of your spine — it can turn your head roughly 90 degrees to each side, which is what lets you check a blind spot.
Common worries
Do I need an MRI?
Usually not at first. Most neck pain improves with time and simple treatment, and MRI findings like ‘wear’ and bulges are extremely common in pain-free people too. Imaging is ordered when there are nerve signs, trauma, or pain that fails to settle — because then the result changes the plan.
Is it arthritis in my neck?
Often the small neck (facet) joints do develop osteoarthritis with age, and that is a frequent contributor. It is managed with exercise, posture work, medicines, and sometimes injections — the ‘arthritis’ label does not mean inevitable decline.
Why exercises if it hurts?
The neck’s muscles are its support system; pain makes us guard and weaken them, which prolongs pain. Gentle, graded movement reverses that cycle. Sharp or worsening pain with an exercise is the signal to adjust it — tell us, rather than stopping everything.
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What counts as a flare: neck pain clearly worse than usual for more than 2–3 days, especially with pain, numbness, or weakness spreading into an arm or hand — weakness or clumsiness in the hand always deserves prompt assessment.
What to do: keep the neck gently moving (stiffness worsens with total rest), use heat and your agreed pain relief, and review your pillow and screen height. If it is not settling, call us at (361) 400-7700. New bladder or walking problems with neck pain are urgent — seek care the same day.
Do not adjust steroids on your own: steroid tablets are not a standard neck-pain treatment — do not start leftovers; if inflammation is suspected, we will assess and plan it properly.
What isn’t a flare: a stiff morning after sleeping awkwardly that loosens within the hour, or an ache after a long drive that settles by the next day.
Ready to be seen? New patients are seen within 2–4 weeks.