Neck Pain
Expert Neck Pain Treatment in Bergen County, New Jersey.
Neck pain is one of the most common reasons adults seek medical care. For most people, it comes and goes. A stiff neck after sleeping in an awkward position, soreness after a long day at a desk, tension that builds up at the base of the skull after a stressful week. That kind of neck pain is unpleasant but usually resolves on its own within a few days.
Then there is the other kind. Neck pain that does not go away. Pain that travels into the shoulder and down the arm. Numbness in the fingers. A weakness in the grip that was not there a year ago. Subtle balance problems that are hard to explain. These are symptoms that point to something structural happening in the cervical spine, and that kind of neck pain deserves a very different kind of attention.
The cervical spine is made up of seven vertebrae stacked from the base of the skull to the top of the chest. It houses and protects the spinal cord, supports the weight of the head, and allows the remarkable range of motion the neck has in every direction. All of that function comes with vulnerability. The cervical spine is one of the most active and load-bearing regions of the body, and over time or after injury, the discs, joints, nerves, and spinal cord within it can be affected in ways that produce pain, neurological symptoms, and significantly reduced quality of life.
Rishi N. Sheth, MD at Spine Care New Jersey evaluates and treats the full spectrum of cervical spine conditions causing neck pain, from common muscle and joint conditions to complex cervical myelopathy requiring surgical decompression.
SymptomsHow to Know When Your Neck Pain Needs a Specialist.
Not all neck pain is equal. Understanding what you are experiencing, and what it might mean, is the first step toward getting the right help.
Neck pain that stays in the neck itself, perhaps with some shoulder stiffness and headaches at the base of the skull, is usually musculoskeletal in origin. It often improves with conservative care and does not typically indicate a serious structural problem.
Neck pain that radiates into the shoulder, upper arm, forearm, or hand is a different matter. This pattern, known as cervical radiculopathy, indicates that a nerve root is being compressed in the neck. Patients with cervical radiculopathy often describe the arm pain as sharp, burning, or electric in character. It can be accompanied by numbness or tingling in specific fingers depending on which nerve is involved.
Neck pain combined with symptoms that seem unrelated to the neck, such as difficulty with balance, problems with fine hand movements, dropping objects unexpectedly, or a general heaviness or weakness in the legs, may indicate cervical myelopathy. This is compression of the spinal cord itself within the cervical spine, and it is one of the more serious conditions Rishi N. Sheth, MD treats. It does not always cause severe neck pain, which is part of what makes it easy to miss.
If you are experiencing any combination of neck pain with arm symptoms, leg weakness, or balance changes, an evaluation by a cervical spine specialist is warranted sooner rather than later.
CausesThe Cervical Spine Conditions Most Commonly Behind Persistent Neck Pain.
When neck pain becomes persistent or is accompanied by neurological symptoms, it is almost always caused by one of the following structural conditions.
Cervical Herniated Disc
A slipped disc in the neck occurs when the soft interior of a cervical disc pushes through its outer wall and compresses a nerve root or the spinal cord. It is one of the most common causes of neck pain with arm pain, numbness, and weakness. Cervical disc herniation can occur at any age and is often the result of degenerative changes accelerated by posture, activity, or a specific injury.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis
Stenosis of the neck is a narrowing of the spinal canal in the cervical region. It is most commonly caused by the same degenerative changes that affect the rest of the spine over time, including bone spurs, thickened ligaments, and disc degeneration. As the canal narrows, it compresses the spinal cord and nerve roots, causing the symptoms of cervical radiculopathy and, in more advanced cases, cervical myelopathy.
Cervical Spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis is a term for the general degenerative wear and tear of the cervical spine. It includes disc degeneration, bone spur formation, and facet joint arthritis. Virtually everyone develops some degree of cervical spondylosis with age, but for some patients, particularly those with naturally narrower spinal canals, even moderate degeneration can produce significant symptoms.
Cervical Radiculopathy
When a nerve root in the cervical spine is compressed, whether by a herniated disc, bone spur, or foraminal narrowing, the result is cervical radiculopathy. Patients experience pain, numbness, or weakness that follows the path of the affected nerve from the neck into the arm and hand. The pattern of symptoms helps identify which cervical level is involved.
Whiplash and Cervical Spine Injury
Whiplash from a motor vehicle accident or sports injury can cause ligament damage, disc injury, and facet joint trauma in the cervical spine. While many whiplash injuries resolve with conservative care, some patients develop chronic neck pain, cervicogenic headaches, and radicular symptoms that require further evaluation and targeted treatment.
Cervical Myelopathy
When the spinal cord itself is compressed within the cervical spine, the resulting condition, cervical myelopathy, can affect function throughout the entire body below the level of compression. It is progressive if left untreated and represents one of the conditions where timely surgical evaluation makes a meaningful difference in long-term outcome.
TreatmentsConservative Care First. Surgical Precision When It Is Needed.
Treatment for neck pain depends entirely on what is causing it. Rishi N. Sheth, MD evaluates each patient individually before recommending anything, because treating neck pain without understanding its cause is one of the most reliable ways to ensure it does not get better.
Non-Surgical Treatment for Neck Pain
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy for cervical spine conditions focuses on strengthening the deep neck flexors and stabilizing muscles, improving posture, reducing mechanical load on the cervical discs and joints, and restoring normal range of motion. For many patients with cervical radiculopathy or spondylosis, a well-structured physical therapy program provides significant and lasting relief.
Epidural Steroid Injections
Epidural steroid injections targeted at the cervical spine deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly around a compressed nerve root, reducing inflammation and pain. Cervical transforaminal injections are even more precise, targeting the specific nerve root causing radicular arm pain. These procedures can provide meaningful relief for patients with cervical herniated disc or foraminal stenosis and are often used as part of a broader non-surgical treatment plan.
Medial Branch blocks
Medial branch blocks and cervical facet joint injections are used when facet joint arthritis is a primary contributor to neck pain, particularly in patients with axial neck pain and headaches originating from the upper cervical joints.
Surgical Treatment for Neck Pain
Surgery for neck pain is recommended when non-surgical treatment has not provided adequate relief, when there is significant nerve compression causing progressive neurological symptoms, or when cervical myelopathy is present and the spinal cord requires decompression.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, commonly known as ACDF, is the most commonly performed cervical spine surgery. It involves removing the damaged cervical disc through a small incision in the front of the neck and fusing the adjacent vertebrae to stabilize the spine and relieve nerve compression. Most patients experience significant reduction in arm pain immediately after surgery, and recovery is typically faster than patients expect.
Cervical artificial disc replacement
Cervical artificial disc replacement with the ProDisc-C system is an alternative to fusion for appropriate candidates. Rather than fusing the vertebrae together, the damaged disc is replaced with an artificial implant that preserves natural neck movement. Rishi N. Sheth, MD is ProDisc-C certified, one of a limited number of spine surgeons in New Jersey with this specific qualification, which gives patients access to motion-preserving cervical surgery that not every practice can offer.
Cervical laminectomy
Cervical laminectomy and laminoplasty are decompression procedures used for patients with cervical myelopathy caused by multi-level stenosis. These procedures create more space within the cervical spinal canal from behind, relieving pressure on the spinal cord without removing the discs themselves.
All surgical procedures at Spine Care New Jersey are performed using minimally invasive techniques with Mazor robotic assistance when appropriate.
Cervical Spine Expertise That Bergen County Patients Deserve Access To.
Neck pain is an area where the quality of the surgeon genuinely matters. The cervical spine is an unforgiving environment to operate in. The structures are smaller, the proximity to critical vascular and neurological anatomy is greater, and the consequences of imprecision are more significant than in almost any other region of the body.
Rishi N. Sheth, MD brings fellowship training from the University of Miami and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to every cervical spine case he evaluates. His experience with cervical radiculopathy, cervical myelopathy, and complex cervical reconstructions, combined with his ProDisc-C disc replacement certification and Mazor robotic surgery training, places him among the most qualified cervical spine surgeons practicing in Bergen County.
For patients who do not need surgery, they benefit from the same thoroughness. Rishi N. Sheth, MD does not recommend injections or physical therapy as a way of putting off a conversation. He recommends them when they are genuinely the right tool for the job, and he monitors their progress to determine whether the treatment plan is working or needs to be adjusted.
Common Questions About Neck Pain at Spine Care New Jersey.
Spine Care New Jersey in Bergen County is a dedicated spine neurosurgery practice led by Rishi N. Sheth, MD, a board-certified neurosurgeon fellowship-trained at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The practice treats all major cervical spine conditions including herniated disc, spinal stenosis, radiculopathy, and myelopathy using both non-surgical and minimally invasive surgical approaches. New patients can book a consultation or request a free MRI review online.
Patients in northern New Jersey have access to the full range of cervical spine treatments at Spine Care New Jersey in Bergen County. Non-surgical options include physical therapy, cervical epidural steroid injections, transforaminal injections, and facet joint injections. Surgical options for appropriate patients include ACDF, cervical artificial disc replacement with ProDisc-C, and cervical decompression. Rishi N. Sheth, MD evaluates every patient personally before recommending any treatment pathway.
Rishi N. Sheth, MD at Spine Care New Jersey in Bergen County offers comprehensive neck pain management that includes both non-surgical interventional treatments and surgical options when needed. As a board-certified spine neurosurgeon, he provides a level of diagnostic precision and treatment depth that goes beyond general pain management. Patients can book directly or submit existing MRI imaging for a free expert review before their first visit.
Neck pain that radiates into the shoulder, arm, or hand, especially with accompanying numbness, tingling, or weakness, should be evaluated by a spine surgeon promptly. This pattern indicates nerve root compression in the cervical spine and does not reliably resolve on its own without targeted treatment. If you are also experiencing balance problems, difficulty with hand coordination, or leg weakness alongside neck pain, seek evaluation urgently as these may indicate spinal cord compression.
Yes, especially if your neck pain has persisted beyond six to eight weeks after a whiplash injury, or if you have developed arm pain, numbness, or headaches that originate from the base of the skull. Whiplash can cause disc injury, facet joint trauma, and ligamentous damage in the cervical spine that does not show up on standard X-rays. An MRI review by a cervical spine specialist can identify what conventional imaging may have missed and guide appropriate treatment. Rishi N. Sheth, MD offers a free MRI review for patients throughout Bergen County.