Neck Pain Specialist

Innovative Pain Specialists

Pain Management Specialists & Spine Specialists located in Arlington Heights, IL & Libertyville, IL

Neck pain is a common health problem that may not improve and disappear. For nearly half of adults, the pain turns into a chronic condition. At Innovative Pain Specialists, Paul Marsiglia, DO, and Demetrios Louis, MD, draw from their expertise in interventional, regenerative, and medical therapies to design a personalized treatment plan that eases your pain and improves your quality of life. To schedule an appointment, call the office in Arlington Heights or Libertyville, Illinois, or book a consultation online today.

Neck Pain Q&A

What causes neck pain?

Sports injuries and car accidents are two of the top reasons for neck pain, but you can end up with serious neck pain without an injury.

Everyday wear and tear, poor posture, and spending too much time bending your head down to look at a smartphone can strain the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your neck. Age-related changes also take a toll on your discs, vertebrae, and their supporting structures.

Degenerative conditions that often lead to neck pain include:

Herniated discs
Facet joint arthritis
Spinal stenosis
Degenerative disc disease
Spondylolisthesis (slipped vertebra)

Sometimes, the pain you feel in your neck originates in another area, such as your shoulder or jaw. Prior cervical spine surgery may also be the source of your pain.

What symptoms accompany neck pain?

Neck pain varies from dull and achy to sharp and stabbing. When you have neck pain, chances are you also have a stiff neck, difficulty moving, or muscle knots. Many people develop headaches and dizziness, as well.

The condition responsible for your pain may push against the spinal nerves. These compressed nerves cause pain, tingling, or burning sensations that travel down your shoulder and arm. In severe cases of nerve damage, you can experience numbness and weakness in your arm.

How is neck pain diagnosed?

Diagnosing the cause of your neck pain requires an extensive workup, beginning with reviewing your medical history and completing a physical exam. Your provider may do additional testing like electromyography, X-rays, CT scans, or an MRI.

After reviewing the results of all your tests and diagnosing the reason for your neck pain, your provider designs an individualized and effective treatment plan.

How is neck pain treated?

The physicians at Innovative Pain Specialists focus on avoiding medications and opioids as much as possible. Instead, they use highly effective localized treatments to ease the pain, improve your quality of life, and help you avoid surgery.

Your treatment may include one of many possible interventional procedures. For example, epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation, and spinal cord stimulation use different methods to stop nerves from transmitting pain signals.

Depending on the underlying problem, your provider may also recommend platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. PRP activates your body's natural healing response to regenerate healthy new tissues.

To learn more about treatment options for neck pain, call Innovative Pain Specialists or book an appointment online today.

What we offer