Have you ever experienced chronic neck pain that sometimes radiates to your head, leading you to believe it's migraine? In reality, this pain could be more dangerous and a sign of cervical disc degeneration. If left untreated, it can significantly impact neck function, such as the ability to bend and straighten your neck as before.

Common symptoms

Chronic neck pain

A dull, throbbing pain in the neck that comes and goes can sometimes be uncomfortable in daily life and worrying because the exact cause is unknown.

The pain radiates up to the head.

Neck pain may radiate to the back of the head or the nape of the neck, leading to it being mistaken for a migraine. Sometimes this radiating pain is severe enough to interfere with daily life.

The neck is stiff, rigid, and difficult to move.

Especially in the morning after waking up, my neck feels stiff and I can't move it easily. The symptoms improve when I move my neck more often throughout the day.

Numbness or tingling in the arm.

This is caused by nerve compression. It feels like a tingling sensation, such as needles or pins, in the arm. It affects grip and sensation in the arm, but it's not constant.

It affects quality of life.

These symptoms interfere with work, driving, and sleep, leading to stress and anxiety.

Causes of neck pain.

Cervical disc degeneration

This causes the intervertebral discs to lose their elasticity and ability to support pressure.

Nerve compression

From a herniated disc or mild stenosis of the cervical spine.

Inflammation of the muscles in the neck.

Chronic inflammation in the neck and upper back muscles causes pain.

Treatment and diagnostic guidelines.

When experiencing chronic neck pain accompanied by headaches, it is advisable to consult a specialist for a thorough diagnosis to determine the cause. Advanced diagnostic tools such as X-rays and MRI can be used to examine the cervical spine, intervertebral discs, and surrounding tissues for any abnormalities.

Treatment begins with mild symptoms and progresses to more severe ones, such as modifying neck usage habits, physical therapy to relax muscles and increase flexibility, or local anesthetic injections.

However, if these methods are ineffective, the doctor may consider minimally invasive surgery (MIS).

At S Hospital, a specialized spine and joint hospital, we prioritize treating the root cause and selecting the most appropriate treatment for each patient. This requires the expertise and experience of specialized physicians to ensure the correct and appropriate treatment procedures are chosen.

Small wound, minimal blood loss.

No open surgery is required; a small 1-millimeter needle is used to puncture the problem area, resulting in a very small scar and minimal blood loss.

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