Neck and back injuries

You deserve relief from neck and back pain. See the urgent care team at Montage Orthopedics and Sports Medicine for treatment that can improve your quality of life.

Arthritis

When the joints in your spine become swollen, you feel pain and stiffness in your neck or back. This condition is arthritis. It happens in your neck (cervical spondylosis) or back (often in your lower spine). Learn more about arthritis.

You might wake up with an achy neck or back. You could also experience headaches or muscle spasms if the arthritis is in your cervical spine (neck). Back arthritis makes it hard to bend or move around comfortably.

Diagnosis and treatment

Your provider will ask about your symptoms, check your movement, and use imaging technology to see your spine.

To help you feel better, your provider might recommend a combination of therapies, such as:

• Medications to reduce pain and swelling
• Physical therapy to improve how you move and make the muscles around your spine stronger
• Lifestyle changes like staying active and watching your weight

Neck and back strain

When you strain your neck or back, it can be hard to move around. These strains happen for many reasons, including:

• Age-related wear and tear on your vertebrae
• Heavy lifting
• Infections
• Injuries

If you have a back strain, you might feel:

• Aching in your lower or middle back
• Sharp or dull pain directly in your back
• Spine stiffness

With neck strain, you might experience:

• Headaches
• Numbness or tingling in your arm
• Shoulder pain

Diagnosis and treatment

Your provider can diagnose these conditions through a physical exam, X-rays, or magnetic resonance imaging.

Sciatica

Sciatica happens when something presses on a nerve, causing pain. You could feel pain in your lower back, legs, neck, or shoulders. Learn more about sciatica.

You might notice some or all of these symptoms:

• Sharp, shooting pain from your lower back to your legs
• Pain that radiates to your neck and shoulders
• Tingling or numbness
• Weak muscles

Diagnosis and treatment

Your provider can diagnose sciatica by performing a physical exam and reviewing imaging test results. These show what's causing the nerve compression.

Sciatica treatment may include:

• Medications
• Physical therapy
• Staying active and maintaining a healthy weight

If you have severe sciatica, your provider might give you steroid injections or suggest surgery to relieve the pressure on the nerve.