Neck

Neck doctors are specialty-trained orthopedic providers who can diagnose and treat patients with a range of conditions and injuries that are causing them neck pain. Sometimes, these specialists help a person coping with a nerve condition, such as cervical radiculopathy, which is a compressed nerve. Neck doctors may also treat patients with a chronic disease, such as arthritis, that is causing pain. Other times, the neck issue may be due to an injury, such as whiplash after a car accident.

The joints in the neck are sometimes referred to as the cervical spine. When a neck specialist examines a patient, he or she will look at the cervical spine to see if it is damaged. However, the neck also includes muscles, bones, nerves, tendons, and other soft tissues, and any of them can become damaged and cause neck pain.

After a comprehensive exam, the neck doctor may treat the patient using a nonsurgical method and ultimately decide that spine surgery is not needed. If so, a nonsurgical spine care solution would be offered, such as wearing a neck brace or receiving a facet joint injection. Other times, the issue is more complex and requires some type of neck surgery. No matter the treatment, neck doctors have the skills and knowledge to help reduce or eliminate pain and restore proper function. 

Should You See a Neck Doctor?                                                              

It may be time to see a doctor if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Chronic neck pain
• Feeling of clumsiness when using your arms or hands
• Muscle spasms
• Neck pain due to poor posture
• Numbness and tingling in the arm
• Pain in the neck or behind your ear
• Rubbing, bone-on-bone sensation
• Stiff neck

These problems may indicate that you are dealing with a neck injury or condition, such as:

• Cervical herniated disc
• Cervical radiculopathy (cervical nerve root disorder)
• Degenerative disc disease
• Facet joint pain
• Neck arthritis
• Neck injury due to an accident, such as whiplash
• Spinal stenosis
• Spondylosis
• Sports-related injury

Specialized Neck Care You Can Trust

Our specialty-trained neck doctor at Appalachian Orthopedics, Dr. Matthew Lamagna, has a full understanding of the spine's anatomy and is dedicated to delivering an exceptional level of neck care. Our doctor will apply his expertise directly to your situation to guide you toward treatments that help reduce pain and restore you to optimal health. Our neck specialist always carefully considers nonsurgical options first before recommending surgery. During your exam, he may take X-rays so that he can further study the spinal column and surrounding structures to determine which nonsurgical treatment may be right for you, such as physical therapy or injections.

Working alongside our nonsurgical neck specialist, our licensed physical therapists provide a full and comprehensive set of outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation services. They treat each patient's problem individually through an evaluation to design a specific treatment plan with the overall goal of restoring function and enhancing one's quality of life.

If your neck pain is keeping you from living an active life, we're proud to offer access to an orthopedic specialist whenever you need it. Schedule an appointment online or call our Johnson City office for a consultation with our expert neck doctor to diagnose and treat your neck issue.

For those acute neck injuries that can't wait, we also offer the following ways to be seen today: 

• Walk into one of our Orthopedic Urgent Care clinics at our Bristol Regional Medical Center or Johnson City office. No appointment needed.
• To be seen by a doctor on the same day, call your desired office.
• Chat with an orthopedic specialist 24/7, 365 days a year with our free OrthoCareNow service.