Don't let neck hurting and picking the right md be a hurting in the neck

If you endure from cervix pain — the third leading cause of chronic pain in the country affecting more than 80 meg Americans — understanding its causes and how to care for it is critical.

Dr. Jay Chun

Dr. Jay Chun, a nationally renowned neurosurgeon and cervical spine expert, reviews a patient's films before a squad consult.

"Despite the high number of incidents of neck pain reported, getting to the root of information technology and determining how to all-time care for it however remains a mystery to many," said Dr. Jay Chun, a neurosurgeon at Atlantic NeuroSurgical Specialists. Dr. Chun, who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical spine issues, is on a mission to educate patients.

The neck — called the cervical spine in the medical community — houses the spinal cord which sends letters from the brain to all parts of the body. Considering of its delicate nature, treating cervical spine problems correctly is critical to well-being.

"This is why symptoms of neck hurting should not be ignored. Whether you have a strong neck or numbness and tingling that radiate down to your fingers, neck pain can betoken an underlying medical upshot, especially if information technology persists," said Chun, who specializes in cervical spine. "Some cervical spine bug can lead to problems with walking, balance and coordination — fifty-fifty loss of bladder or bowel command — so it's best to see a doctor sooner than later to avoid larger problems down the road."

In that location are many causes of neck pain. They may include:

  • Degenerative Disc Disease: Usually related to aging, more than 3 million cases of deteriorating discs that lose their cushioning are diagnosed annually.
  • Muscle Strain: This may be caused by a pulled muscle, a muscle spasm or injury to the soft tissues of the neck.
  • Mechanical Neck Pain: Frequently a result of degenerative disc illness or arthritis in the cervical spine, this term is used considering the pain comes from the mechanical parts of the cervical spine that allow u.s. to move the head.
  • Pinched Nerve: This can be caused by a herniated disc (a tear in the surface of the disc) or a bone spur that rubs on a nerve root and causes pain, numbness and muscle weakness.
  • Spinal Stenosis: Resulting in numbness, tingling and pain in the arms, hands and legs, this is the nearly serious problem and is caused by bone spurs that printing on the spinal cord or the nerve roots.

"Over many years, our necks are subjected to repeated stress and minor injury," Chun said. "Add to that aging and poor posture, and it's easy to see why so many Americans suffer from neck pain.

"For chronic pain, at that place may not be a quick fix or a complete cure — which is why you should encounter a health care professional person correct abroad and become aid to slow down the degenerative process," he said.

What kind of doctor should you see?

"In that location are two types of doctors that typically treat cervix hurting: neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons," Chun said. "Neurosurgeons diagnose and care for disorders affecting the nervous system — the delicate and complex command, control and communication network in the body that's made up of the brain, spine and neurovascular system. Orthopedic surgeons specialize in the musculoskeletal system comprising the bones of the skeleton, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints and other connective tissue. Both can specialize in spine surgery; all the same, orthopedic surgeons practice non deal with the neurovascular organization. They often call in neurosurgeons when they see complications in surgery."

Inquire these questions when determining the best dr. to treat a specific issue:

  • What kinds of minimally invasive procedures do you offer?
  • How many neck surgeries have you lot performed?
  • What is the range of cervical care you lot provide?
  • What if at that place is a neurovascular issue?
  • Do you employ the latest technologies such as image guidance, reckoner modeling and navigation?
  • Exercise you treat the spinal cord itself?
  • Exercise you collect data on patient outcomes and participate in the national registry that tracks results by procedure?

"Choosing the right doctor for you and your neck hurting shouldn't be a hurting in the neck," Chun said. "Merely, exist certain to practice your due diligence. You — and your cervix — are manner too important."