Chronic neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability in the United States according to Dr. John Fitzgerald of the Center For Pain Management.
"We see it mostly in older patients, but, in the last ten to twenty years, it's becoming very common in younger patients as well," Dr Fitzgerald said, pointing out that technology is to blame for the increase in chronic neck pain. "We used to have more mobile lifestyles and now we are in front of screens most of the day and that is what leads to the problem."
Conservative measures are always used first to treat neck pain.
"Physical therapy, massage, mobilization and so on but when those don't work that is when we see patients to do precision guided injections to determine the cause of pain and also try to provide relief," said Dr. Fitzgerald. "Prevention is important to avoid chronic neck pain. Be aware of how long you've been immobile over your phone or device, don't hunch over and maintain a relaxed open posture"
More information on the Indianapolis-based Center For Pain Management is available at IndyPain.com.