Waking Up with Chronic Neck Pain? Signs You Need to Consult a Spine Specialist

Waking up with neck pain can make getting dressed, checking your phone, or turning your head while driving uncomfortable. When this becomes a chronic issue, it’s time to see a professional.

At Seattle Spine Institute in Seattle, Washington, we have a team of experienced spine specialists. If you’re suffering from chronic neck pain, we can analyze your symptoms, identify the cause, and offer solutions, including minimally invasive surgery, to correct spinal irregularities and relieve your pain.

When should you see a spine specialist?

Neck pain, or cervicalgia, can develop from muscle strain, arthritis, worn spinal discs, or pressure on nearby nerves. When your pain lingers for weeks or months, keeps getting worse, or you start having additional symptoms, seeing a spinal expert is your best option.

Neck pain that keeps returning

It’s easy to strain your neck muscles. Sleeping with the wrong pillow or indulging in too much screen time can easily cause a mild muscle strain that cramps. However, pain that continues for several weeks, worsens over time, or repeatedly disrupts your sleep signals the need for an evaluation.

Chronic neck pain can also stem from an ongoing medical condition such as arthritis or a pinched nerve. We can evaluate your medical history and current symptoms and assess if a spinal condition could be causing your ongoing neck discomfort.

Pain that spreads into your shoulder or arm

Neck pain that radiates into your shoulder, arm, or hand can indicate irritation or nerve compression in your cervical spine. Tingling, numbness, or weakness in the arm and hand on the affected side are also warning signs of nerve compression.

A compressed nerve can cause additional pain that makes you hunch to that side, resulting in even more cramping and stiffness. We can carefully manipulate the area, do some scans, and figure out what specific nerve is compressed and why. Then we can create a treatment plan to relieve both the pressure and the pain.

Neck stiffness or difficulty of movement

Some neck stiffness in the morning isn’t uncommon. However, if your neck keeps hurting or you notice you’re having trouble turning to one side or the other, it could be a sign you have an underlying joint or disc problem.

Pay attention to whether the discomfort eases during the day or continues to interfere with ordinary activities. Loss of mobility and flexibility points to some severe inflammation in the cervical spine, and requires immediate attention.

You develop other concerning symptoms

Neck pain accompanied by weakness or coordination problems or loss of muscle control may be a potentially serious issue. Seek urgent medical care if any of the following occur:

• Sudden or rapidly worsening numbness, tingling, or weakness
• Problems with balance or coordination 
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fever
• Inability to hold your head upright or turn your head
• Loss of your bladder or bowel control  

A combination of symptoms could signify an infection in your cervical spinal column that requires immediate attention.

What can your specialists do for neck pain?

Treatment depends on the cause of the pain. We offer a variety of targeted treatments ranging from physical therapy and medication to corticosteroid injections and minimally invasive surgery. 

If neck pain keeps interrupting your mornings or makes daily activities difficult, a specialist evaluation can help you understand the cause and choose your next step.

Are you tired of constant neck pain? You can schedule an appointment at our Seattle, Washington, office by calling 206-322-1765 or contact us online today.