Back & Neck Pain

What it means

Back and neck pain are among the most common reasons people see a doctor. Most episodes improve within weeks, but some people develop pain that keeps returning or spreads into an arm or leg. This page gathers our reporting on back and neck pain and explains, in general terms, how pain specialists approach it.

Symptoms and warning signs

• A dull, constant ache or a sudden sharp pain in the lower back or neck
• Stiffness and difficulty turning, bending or standing up straight
• Pain that spreads into a buttock, leg, arm or shoulder, sometimes with tingling or numbness
• Pain that is worse after sitting, lifting or a particular movement
• Warning signs needing urgent care: new weakness in a leg or arm, numbness around the groin or inner thighs, loss of bladder or bowel control, pain after a serious fall or crash, or pain with fever or unexplained weight loss

Causes and risk factors

• Strained muscles or ligaments after lifting, twisting or an awkward movement
• Bulging or herniated discs pressing on a nerve root (the usual cause of sciatica)
• Wear in the small facet joints and discs with age (degenerative disc disease, facet arthritis)
• Narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis), which often causes leg pain when walking
• Injury, including whiplash after a car crash
• Risk factors include age, heavy physical work, long periods of sitting, excess weight, smoking and low fitness; in many episodes no single cause is found

Conditions in this group

As listed by SEVA Healthcare on its back & neck pain page.

• Herniated or bulging discs
• Sciatica and nerve compression
• Spinal stenosis
• Facet joint arthritis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Post-surgical back or neck pain

How clinicians evaluate it

A pain specialist usually starts with your history and a physical and neurological examination, and reviews any imaging you already have. Imaging such as MRI is not needed for every case. Image-guided diagnostic injections are sometimes used to confirm which structure is causing the pain.

Treatments SEVA Healthcare lists

Copied from the official page. Listing a treatment does not mean it suits every patient or is available at every clinic — a doctor decides after an evaluation.

• Epidural Steroid Injections
• Facet Joint Injections
• Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
• Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)
• Interspinous Decompression
• Kyphoplasty

How SEVA Healthcare treats back & neck pain

Everyday self-management

General education, not a plan for you. Check with your clinician before changing activity or medicines.

• Most episodes of back or neck pain ease within days to weeks; staying gently active usually helps more than bed rest (rest in bed for more than a day or two can slow recovery)
• Heat or cold packs and over-the-counter pain relievers, used as directed, can take the edge off
• Gradually return to walking and normal activities; pace tasks rather than doing everything on a good day
• Pay attention to posture at desks and screens and take movement breaks
• If pain lasts more than a few weeks, keeps returning, or spreads into a limb, ask a clinician for an assessment and a plan

Questions to discuss with a clinician

• What do you think is causing my pain, and do I need imaging?
• Which activities should I continue, and which should I avoid for now?
• If a procedure is suggested, what is it meant to do, how long does relief usually last, and what are the alternatives?
• What signs mean I should come back sooner or go to the emergency department?
• How will we know whether the treatment is working?