At a glance
What it is
Neck pain from mechanical dysfunction (muscle strain, postural), degenerative disc disease (cervical spondylosis), or facet joint arthropathy. Pain may radiate to shoulder or arm if nerve is irritated.
Typical signs
Neck pain and stiffness (often worse with certain movements), may radiate to shoulder or arm, headache, occasionally numbness or tingling in fingers.
How we treat it
Acute: analgesia, muscle relaxants, posture and ergonomics. Chronic: physiotherapy, cervical traction, medication, and — if radiculopathy is present — imaging and possible interventional procedures.
What neck pain is
Neck pain is extremely common — 30–50% of people report neck pain in any given year. Causes range from simple muscle strain and postural dysfunction to cervical spondylosis (degenerative disc disease and facet arthropathy), disc herniation, and cervical myelopathy (spinal cord compression).
What we see in clinic
30–50%
Report neck pain yearly
2–10%
Develop chronic neck pain (lasting > 6 months)
50–75%
Improve with physiotherapy and postural correction alone
Key facts
How it is treated
Acute mechanical neck pain improves with activity, posture and analgesia. Chronic pain may require multimodal therapy.
Acute management
First 2–4 weeks
- Analgesia: paracetamol, NSAIDs
- Muscle relaxants (cyclobenzaprine, tizanidine) for acute spasm
- Gentle range-of-motion exercises, posture and ergonomic advice
Physiotherapy
Weeks to months
- Neck mobilisation and stretching
- Progressive strengthening (deep cervical flexors, scapular stabilisers)
- Postural training and workplace ergonomics
Medication
Chronic pain
- NSAIDs or paracetamol for background pain
- Neuropathic agents (gabapentin, pregabalin) if radiculopathy
- Muscle relaxants or low-dose tricyclics for spasm-related pain
Interventional procedures
Persistent radiculopathy or facet-mediated pain
- Cervical transforaminal epidural injections for radiculopathy
- Cervical facet joint injections or medial branch blocks
- Cervical radiofrequency ablation for chronic facet pain
Related reading
Back pain
Most back pain is mechanical and settles in weeks. The first visit identifies the few cases that need imaging, injections or surgery, without over-treating.
Whiplash
Neck injury from a sudden jolt, classically a car crash. Most people recover in weeks; 10–15% develop long-term pain.
Book a consultation
The secretary schedules first appointments during clinic hours; please have prior imaging, operative notes and a current medication list available at the time of the call.
This page provides general information about neck pain and is not a substitute for individual medical assessment. If your symptoms are severe or worsening, contact a clinician promptly.