Connecticut Pain Solutions provides pain management and neurology services in Ridgefield and Wallingford, CT. Call 203-724-9290 (Ridgefield) or 203-626-9080 (Wallingford) to learn more and schedule your appointment.
Connecticut Pain Solutions has one simple mission: helping you avoid surgery with our minimally invasive, high-tech techniques. We aggressively but safely treat neck pain in a variety of ways.
First, we will carefully assess your pain to determine whether it is anatomical or neurological in nature, and to determine precisely which structures of your body are involved. Depending on what we find, here are some common treatments for neck pain:
Epidural Steroid Injections
Used for lower back pain since 1952, epidural steroid injections can also bring long-lasting relief to the cervical spine (neck). These injections are typically used in conjunction with other methods to achieve lasting pain management.
Nerve Blocks
Structural abnormalities in your neck can cause irritation and inflammation in the surrounding nerves. Different types of nerve blocks can be used to stop these nerves from transmitting pain signals for a period of time.
Radiofrequency Ablation
If your pain is determined via a nerve block to originate in the nerves affiliated with the facet joints, a radiofrequency ablation can provide a nearly immediate long-lasting solution to moderate or severe pain. The affected nerves are burned off with radiofrequency waves, and pain relief generally lasts until the nerves regenerate (generally one to two years). Another ablation can be performed if needed when the nerves grow back, although some people never need another procedure.
Botox
Botox can be injected directly into the muscles, reducing spasticity and thus alleviating pain that originates in the muscle tissue. Botox treatment must typically be repeated at regular intervals until physical therapy settles the muscles and stops the spasming.
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) since 1989, spinal cord stimulation can be highly effective against pain that is neuropathic in origin. We can implant a spinal cord stimulator in your cervical spine, and handle all of the programming and management in-house.
Trigger Point Injections
Many people with neck pain have multiple trigger points—tiny balls of tightly wound muscle tissue that worsen pain. While massage can often release these trigger points, medication injections can be a more efficient way to release these muscles.
Medication Management
Most people with neck pain are on one or more pain medications. We can manage your medications, providing new prescriptions or refills as needed and helping you gradually taper off the amount of medication you need.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is at the core of most neck pain treatment plans. The goal of all other techniques is generally to calm the pain enough for you to tolerate physical therapy. Your physical therapist will work with you to set treatment goals and develop a customized treatment plan to restore strength and flexibility.