Neck pain can range from a mild nuisance to a debilitating condition that affects your ability to work, sleep, and enjoy daily activities. At Comprehensive Spine and Pain, our double board-certified pain management physicians offer advanced, in-office injection therapies to relieve neck pain, restore mobility, and improve quality of life—without the need for hospital visits.
Injection therapy is a targeted treatment approach that delivers anti-inflammatory or numbing medications directly to the source of pain. By addressing inflammation and nerve irritation at the root, these procedures can offer faster and more effective relief compared to oral medication alone.
When Injection Therapy Is Considered
Injection therapy for neck pain is typically recommended when conservative measures, such as physical therapy, medications, or rest, fail to provide adequate relief. It may also be used to help patients avoid or delay surgery.
Common conditions that can benefit from neck injections include:
- Herniated or bulging discs that press on cervical nerves
- Cervical spinal stenosis causing nerve compression
- Facet joint arthritis or degeneration
- Whiplash injuries from car accidents
- Cervical radiculopathy (nerve pain radiating into the arm)
- Myofascial pain syndrome with persistent muscle trigger points
Types of Injection Therapies for Neck Pain
Cervical Epidural Steroid Injections (Interlaminar or Transforaminal)
These injections deliver corticosteroid medication and a local anesthetic into the epidural space around the spinal cord and nerve roots. The goal is to reduce inflammation and swelling, which can ease nerve irritation and alleviate pain radiating into the shoulders and arms.
Facet Joint Injections
Facet joints connect the vertebrae and provide stability and movement. When these joints become arthritic or inflamed, they can cause localized neck pain. A facet joint injection places medication directly into the affected joint for targeted relief.
Medial Branch Blocks
If the source of neck pain is suspected to be the facet joints, a medial branch block can help confirm the diagnosis. This involves numbing the small nerves that supply the facet joints. If significant pain relief occurs, patients may later benefit from radiofrequency ablation for longer-lasting results.
Trigger Point Injections
These are used for muscle-based neck pain caused by tight, tender knots in the muscles. A local anesthetic, sometimes combined with a corticosteroid, is injected into the trigger point to relax the muscle and improve mobility.
Benefits of Injection Therapy
Injection therapy has many benefits for neck pain, including:
- Targeted relief—medication goes directly to the pain source
- Quick procedure—often completed in less than 30 minutes
- Minimally invasive—performed in our in-office procedure suites
- Reduced downtime—many patients resume light activities the same day
- Diagnostic value—helps identify the exact pain generator
Is Injection Therapy Right for You? Contact Us to Learn More
Ideal candidates are those with imaging-confirmed conditions causing nerve or joint inflammation who have not found relief from non-invasive treatments. Injection therapy may also be part of a broader treatment plan, including physical therapy or other interventional pain management options.
If you are living with persistent neck pain, you do not have to let it control your life. At Comprehensive Spine and Pain, our physicians offer advanced, precision-guided injection therapies to help you return to the activities you love. Call us today at (405) 601-4227 or contact us online to learn more about your treatment options.