If the pain caused by the arthritis in your neck (cervical spine) is preventing you from doing the daily activities you enjoy, you should consult your physician or a spine care expert about the numerous treatment options available to you.
Cervical (neck) arthritis is a degenerative spine condition that commonly develops as the spine begins to wear down with age and constant motion. Because this is a progressive condition, the symptoms may begin mildly and slowly worsen over time. For many patients experiencing mild symptoms of pain and limited mobility, conservative treatments are often the best course of action. You should ask your physician or spine care expert about the conservative therapies that would help reduce your symptoms of arthritis of the neck
The type of treatment recommended by your physician will depend on the type of arthritis you have (osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis), the severity of your neck pain, the limits of your mobility, how far the degeneration has progressed and other similar factors.
The most common forms of conservative treatment include:
Physical therapy — Exercise to strengthen the neck muscles
Hot or cold therapy — Heat pads to increase circulation and flexibility, or cold pads to reduce swelling and pain
Behavior modification — Avoiding activity that might exacerbate neck arthritis symptoms
Anti-inflammatory injections — Cortisone or other steroidal solutions to reduce swelling
Pain medicine — Over-the-counter drugs like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as well as prescription pain killers
Chiropractic therapy — Including traction or nonsurgical spinal decompression therapy
Others — Acupuncture, massage, cervical pillows
Often, conservative therapies can be combined to increase your pain relief. You should always consult your medical specialist before changing your treatment routine. You should also inform your physician or spine care specialist if you are not experiencing any pain relief after several months of conservative treatment.