I want to discuss when to see a doctor for cervical pain. As previously discussed in my blog, neck pain is common and can result from a number of different causes including strained muscles, poor posture and degenerative disc disease.

Signs and Symptom

Let’s discuss signs and symptoms that indicate it is time to see your doctor. Although neck pain is common and can often be treated at home, it may be a sign of a more serious problem.

Make An Appointment for Neck Pain

Schedule a doctor’s appointment if your pain continues despite a few weeks of conservative treatments or your pain is increasing in severity despite at home treatments. In addition, if you are experiencing pain radiating into your shoulders, arms or hands, it is time to see your doctor. This may be an indication of a problem with a disc in your neck, and, in fact, some people with a disc problem may not even experience pain but may only have arm or shoulder pain! Another sign that indicates it is time to see your doctor is weakness in your arms or hands. Patients with this symptom often describe this as dropping things, such as their coffee mug.

If your neck pain started after a traumatic injury, such as a motor vehicle accident, is accompanied by a high fever or severe muscle weakness you need to seek immediate care.