Back and neck pain are common conditions ranging from dull aches to sharp pain, caused by various factors like injury or arthritis.
What is back and neck pain?
The majority of people experience back and neck pain. Issues can be caused by a variety of factors, including muscle strains, injuries, poor posture, arthritis, or disk problems. The pain can be contained to a specific area, or it can radiate to other parts of the body, such as the arms or legs.
While it’s a common health issue, it can significantly impact a person’s everyday life and interrupt or interfere with basic activities. AHN is here to help. Whether you’re dealing with a dull, persistent ache or sudden, sharp pains, our experienced and compassionate team of healthcare professionals can help you find solutions to reduce or eliminate the pain.
Back and neck pain ranges
Back and neck pain can show up in many different ways. When seeking care, healthcare providers will often refer to the discomfort as the "range of pain." This refers to both its intensity and its quality or type, such as:
- Mild: This is often a discomfort or a slight ache that might be noticeable but doesn't significantly interfere with daily activities. It might come and go.
- Moderate: This pain is more persistent and noticeable. It can make some activities uncomfortable or difficult and might require occasional pain relief.
- Severe: This is intense, debilitating pain that significantly limits movement and daily function. It often requires immediate attention and strong pain management.
AHN Spine Center
The AHN Spine Center is dedicated to treating and relieving pain and issues with the back and neck. As part of the AHN Neuroscience, the doctors, specialists, and broader team use a multidisciplinary approach to care. This means all areas of medicine are working together to provide you with relief. This approach coordinates, care so if you need to be seen for spine problems or to learn more about your lower back pain issues, the team has the information they need to effectively guide your treatment plan.
Why choose AHN for your back and neck pain?
Back or neck pain shouldn’t keep you from doing the things you love. At the AHN Spine Center, our experts use the latest technologies to identify the source of your pain. We then develop a personalized treatment plan to manage the pain and get you back to a full, active life.
Neck and back pain symptoms and signs
Almost everyone experiences neck and back pain at some point. Your specific symptoms depend on the cause, location, and severity of the problem. Back or neck pain may cause:
- Piercing pain, or a shooting pain that you feel when you move a certain way
- General aching, similar to a muscle ache
- Muscle spasms
- Pain that starts in your back and moves to a different area
- Problems moving and reduced flexibility in your back
- Pain while sitting or standing in the same position for an extended period of time or issues with everyday activities
Causes and risk factors
There are certain medical conditions that can cause neck and back pain. These often include:
- Spinal conditions: Degenerative conditions (e.g., herniated disks), traumatic injuries, structural issues (e.g., multifidus dysfunction), pinched nerves, or sciatica.
- Chronic or acute pain: Including pain from arthritis, other chronic conditions, injuries, or pregnancy.
- Spine tumors and metastatic diseases: Both tumors and metastatic diseases can cause pain within or around the spine. Learn more about spine tumors.
- Spasticity: The neurological condition can cause muscles in the back to involuntarily contract and become stiff, which can cause pain. Learn more about spasticity.
- Vascular malformations: These are abnormalities that affect blood vessels and can cause pain.
Back and neck pain screening and diagnosis
When you’re in pain, it’s hard to focus on anything else. At AHN’s Spine Center, you’ll get a prompt appointment with one of our specialists. Our physicians first ask you about your medical history and perform a physical examination, checking your flexibility, walking abilities, and muscle strength and reflexes. This evaluation helps us determine the source and cause of your symptoms.
A physical examination may be enough for physicians to recommend treatment options for you. Sometimes, physicians may perform imaging tests to learn more about what’s causing your back or neck symptoms, such as:
- X-rays show the bones in your spine and can alert doctors to tumors, fractures, or other bone abnormalities. At AHN, we also offer provocative discogram, an advanced diagnostic X-ray test that measures how increased pressure on a vertebral disk affects your pain level.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computed tomography) — Imaging tests show finer details of the spinal cord’s soft tissues, such as cartilage and nerve roots. CT images show the bony anatomy in high resolution. These tests often help physicians pinpoint the location or cause of back and neck pain.
- Vertebral motion analysis uses fluoroscopy (a type of X-ray testing) to capture real-time images of the spine while we guide you through a range of motions. This technology is ideal if we suspect you have instability of the lower lumbar spine.
Types and stages of back and neck pain
It can be challenging dealing with back and neck pain. Understanding the types of pain and how it can progress are often a critical step in navigating your treatment and care.
The location of your pain
Neck and back pain relief starts with understanding where the pain originates. Once your AHN care team can pinpoint the location of the pain, the treatment plan can then be tailored to neck and back pain management, and ultimately, relief.
Neck pain (cervical pain)
This is pain in your neck, which has seven small bones (vertebrae) and the muscles around them. It can either feel sore or you might experience a sharp, sudden pain. You could also feel stiff, have trouble moving your head, or get headaches. Common reasons for neck pain include strained muscles, whiplash (like from a car accident), bad posture (think tech neck from looking down at your phone), or problems with the disks or nerves in your neck.
Upper back pain (thoracic pain)
This pain is located in the middle of your back, between your neck and your lower back. This particular part of your spine doesn't move as much as other sections. The pain often feels like a dull ache, tightness, or burning sensation. Sometimes, it can even feel like pain wrapping around your ribs. Upper back pain is usually caused by bad posture, muscle strain, using your back too much, or a curved spine (scoliosis). It's less common for disk problems to occur in this area.
Lower back pain (lumbar pain)
This is pain in your lower back, where there are five big bones (vertebrae), and a bone called the sacrum. Lower back pain is very common. You may feel it as an achy sensation, or sharp pain, stiffness, or muscle spasms. The pain might even travel down into your butt or legs, a condition known as sciatica. Common reasons for lower back pain include strained muscles, sprained ligaments, problems with disks, arthritis, or a narrowed spinal canal.
Back and neck pain stages
The amount of time — the stages — you’ve been in pain helps doctors figure out the best way to help you. These categories can get broken down into three time frames:
- Short-term pain (acute): Usually lasting from a few days up to six weeks, acute pain often starts suddenly, usually after a specific event like lifting something heavy, a minor car accident, or an awkward movement. Most acute back and neck pain gets better on its own or with simple care, such as rest, applying ice or heat, taking pain medicine, and engaging in gentle movement.
- Middle-term pain (subacute): Subacute pain lasts between six weeks and three months (12 weeks). At this stage, the pain persists beyond the initial acute phase, but it is usually improving. It's important to be more proactive with physical therapy and to address any underlying issues during this time to help prevent the pain from becoming chronic.
- Long-term pain (chronic): Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for three months (12 weeks) or longer. At this point, the pain is no longer just a symptom of a fresh injury; it can become a problem on its own. Long-term pain can significantly affect your daily life, sleep, mood, and overall function. It often involves a more comprehensive approach to care. This might include physical therapy, different types of medication management, psychological support, and sometimes special procedures.
Your doctors can use these types and stages to find out what's wrong and create a good plan to help you feel better.
Back and neck pain treatment
When you're dealing with pain, our team is here to help provide neck and back pain relief. Your back and neck pain treatment plan considers things like how much pain you're in, what you can do, your age, and your daily routine. Our main goal is to lower your pain and help you live better, using the gentlest methods possible.
Your treatment plan for back and neck pain relief might include ways to feel better without surgery, like exercises and medicines. It may also include new and advanced surgery options, including minimally invasive, when possible, as well as more common surgeries.
Back and neck pain management
Movement can be an incredibly effective way to manage back and neck pain. Targeted, gentle movements can help reduce stiffness, improve flexibility, and strengthen the supporting muscles. Knowing when and how to move is important, and it is always important to listen to your body. If you feel any sharp pain, stop the movement and rest. Your AHN care team can provide exercises that are specific to your back and neck pain relief, but, generally, these exercises and stretching techniques can be great additions to your neck and back pain management plan.
Neck pain exercises
Neck pain, stiffness, and soreness can sometimes be alleviated by simple, slow exercises that target loosening and lengthening the neck muscles. If you’re experiencing discomfort, try one or a combination of the following:
- Chin tucks: Gently pull your chin straight back, as if making a double chin, keeping your head level. Hold for 5–10 seconds. This strengthens deep neck muscles.
- Neck tilts: Slowly tilt your head toward one shoulder, bringing your ear as close as comfortable without lifting the shoulder. Hold for 15 – 20 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
- Neck rotations: Gently turn your head to look over one shoulder, holding for 15 – 20 seconds, then repeat to the other side.
Stretches for upper back stiffness
The upper back can get stiff from any number of daily activities — think prolonged desk work, incorrect posture, or heavy lifting. This pain, tightness, or tension can be reduced with these easy stretches if done daily:
- Cat-cow stretch: On hands and knees, arch your back as you inhale (cow pose), then round your spine as you exhale (cat pose). This mobilizes the entire spine.
- Thoracic extension (over a foam roller): Lie on your back with a foam roller perpendicular to your spine, just below your shoulder blades. Clasp your hands behind your head and gently extend your upper back over the roller, taking deep breaths.
- Doorway stretch: Stand in a doorway, place your forearms on the frame, and gently lean forward to stretch your chest and upper back muscles.
Chronic back pain exercises (general lumbar support)
For those who experience chronic back pain, exercises can be extremely effective in offering back pain relief. Try a combination of the following to help relieve your upper back pain:
- Pelvic tilts: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Gently flatten your lower back against the floor by tightening your abdominal muscles and tilting your pelvis up. Hold for a few seconds.
- Knee-to-chest stretch: Lie on your back, bring one knee (then both) to your chest, gently hugging it. This helps release tension in the lower back.
- Bridges: Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat. Lift your hips off the floor, engaging your glutes and hamstrings, forming a straight line from shoulders to knees.
When to seek professional help
While these tips can be very helpful for managing everyday aches, you may want to consult a healthcare professional if your pain:
- Is severe, constant, or worsening
- Feels like numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or legs
- Is accompanied by fever, unexplained weight loss, or bladder/bowel changes
- Doesn't improve with self-care after a few weeks
Back and neck pain management with surgery
Sometimes, surgery is necessary for back and neck pain relief. At AHN’s Spine Center, our brain and spine surgeons are leaders in using exciting new surgery methods. We use special tools like digital maps, high-definition cameras, robotics, and endoscopes (tiny cameras on a tube) to make sure the surgery is exact and works well. We also have a wealth of expertise in treating complex spinal deformity conditions like scoliosis.
Back and neck pain FAQs
Neck and back pain can cause disruption and can even be a sense of irritation when it prohibits activity and living life to the fullest. AHN can help with finding tailored solutions that can deliver neck and back pain relief. Questions surrounding neck and back pain are common, and your AHN care team is here to get you answers. We’ve included some of our patients’ most frequently asked questions that can provide a starting point to prompt future conversations with your care team about the types of neck and back pain and their location of neck and back pain. This proactive approach is key to effective neck and back pain management.
How to relieve neck pain?
Relieving neck pain is a highly individualized process. Your AHN care team will assess your needs and develop a care plan that is right for you. Often this includes a combination of medications, pain relief injections, physical therapy, and sometimes medical procedures. AHN takes a whole-person approach to care that uses multiple treatment options for neck and back pain to deliver patient relief.
How to sleep with upper back and neck pain?
Successful sleep often requires a combination of good sleep habits, supportive positioning, and pain management strategies. Side sleeping and back sleeping on a supportive mattress can be helpful. Also, having neck-supporting pillows that contour the spine provide relief. Avoiding stomach sleeping is also known to help relieve back and neck pain.
How to relieve upper back and neck pain?
When it comes to neck and back pain relief, specifically how to relieve upper back and neck pain, there's a broad spectrum of approaches, ranging from self-care at home to medical interventions. The most effective approach often depends on the specific cause, severity, and duration of the pain. Here are some common ways people seek to relieve back and neck pain:
- Rest (short-term): For acute pain, a brief period of rest (one to two days) can be beneficial, but prolonged bed rest is generally discouraged, as it can weaken muscles and prolong recovery.
- Heat and cold therapy: A warm bath, shower, or heating pad can relax muscles, increase blood flow, and alleviate stiffness. An ice pack can reduce inflammation and numb the painful area, which can be especially useful for acute injuries or flare-ups.
- Over-the-counter (OTC) medications: Acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) can help with pain. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs): Ibuprofen (e.g., Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (e.g., Aleve) can reduce both pain and inflammation.
- Gentle exercise and stretching: Specific stretches for the back and neck, often learned from a physical therapist, can improve flexibility and reduce muscle tension. Walking, swimming, or cycling (if comfortable) can help maintain mobility and strengthen supporting muscles.
- Maintain good posture: Adjust workstations, chairs, and sleep positions to support the natural curves of the spine.
- Stress management: Stress can lead to muscle tension in the neck and back. Techniques like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or hobbies can help.
- Healthy weight: Excess weight, especially around the abdomen, can put additional strain on the back.
If you have tried these methods and are still experiencing pain, your AHN care team can meet with you to discuss your options for neck and back pain relief.
Contact us
To schedule an appointment or learn more about AHN neuroscience services, call 412-359-6200 for Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas. For the Erie region, call 814-452-7575.