26 Jan What is causing my neck pain? Steps to diagnosing the cause of your neck pain.

Diagnosing the cause of one’s neck pain is no easy task. There are many steps involved in accurately assessing the root causes of one’s neck pain, stiffness, and related symptoms. In most cases, assessing neck pain does not require complex or expensive testing, as a thorough clinical exam often provides all the necessary information to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.

After taking a thorough history regarding the nature of neck pain and events leading to the onset of the symptoms a physical exam often starts with observation of posture and other visually evident irregularities. Palpating the neck can provide a great deal of information about spasm, tenderness and alignment of the skeletal structure.

Assessment of neck range of motion also provides substantial meaningful data on tissue flexibility. Assessment of reflexes, muscle strength, and sensation in the regions of the neck and upper extremities is also common as impairments in these measures may be a sign of a pinched nerve. In cases where a physical exam cannot provide enough clues to the origin of someone’s neck pain, images can provide the missing piece of the puzzle. X-rays are a simple and inexpensive way to evaluate for neck pain arising from spine degeneration, fractures, and even certain tumors. A CT scan uses X-ray technology to produce a series of cross-sectional images and can reveal more subtle changes in the bones and surrounding soft tissues of the neck. An MRI uses a strong magnetic field to provide another form of detailed cross-sectional images of the soft tissue in the bones of the neck.

When imaging fails to provide adequate information, diagnostic injections can be a useful next step. Monitoring a patient’s response to injections into a selected tissue, such as a joint, nerve, or other tissue, can help confirm the source of neck pain. Other tests using electrodiagnostic’s can also help. Tests such as nerve conduction exams and EMGs can evaluate the electrical activity of nerves and determine if there is any injury to the structures.

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