Neck Pain

Your health care provider will take a medical history and do an exam. The exam will include checking for tenderness, numbness and muscle weakness. And it will test how far you can move your head forward, backward and side to side.

Imaging tests

Imaging tests might help find the cause of the neck pain. Examples include:

• X-rays. X-rays can reveal areas in the neck where the nerves or spinal cord might be pinched by bone spurs or other changes.
• CT scan. CT scans combine X-ray images taken from many different directions to produce detailed cross-sectional views of structures inside the neck.
• MRI. MRI uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create detailed images of bones and soft tissues. The soft tissues include the disks, the spinal cord and the nerves coming from the spinal cord.

It’s possible to have X-ray or MRI evidence of structural problems in the neck without having symptoms. Imaging studies are best used with a careful history and physical exam to determine the cause of pain.

Other tests

• Electromyography (EMG). An EMG can determine whether neck pain might be related to a pinched nerve. It involves inserting fine needles through the skin into a muscle. The test measures the speed of nerve conduction to determine whether nerves are working properly.
• Blood tests. Blood tests can sometimes provide evidence of inflammation or infections that might be causing or contributing to neck pain.