Treatments

Non-Surgical Treatments

If surgery is not recommended or not expected to help your arm (radicular) pain, there are therapies available to treat your neck and/or arm pain. It is important to know that neck surgery may not relieve neck pain and likely will not have any significant improvement of neuropathic pain.

Your HCP can help you arrange the following:

  • Physiotherapy

  • Acupuncture

  • Massage therapy

  • Specialized pain clinic

  • Medications to manage the symptoms, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or muscle relaxants. There are specific medications used to treat nerve pain that require a prescription.

  • Steroid injections to reduce inflammation and relieve pain

If surgery is not recommended for your condition of cervical stenosis or early cervical myelopathy at the time of your assessment, your surgeon may recommend the following: 

  1. Monitor your symptoms for any changes or progression. If this occurs, you must report any symptom progression to your health care provider for possible surgical reassessment.

  2. You may require regular neurological examinations to detect new or progression in myelopathic signs.

  3. You may need follow up MRI cervical spines to detect progression of stenosis and/or compression of the cervical cord.

  4. You may be advised to avoid moving your neck backwards (extension) for prolonged periods of time (such as painting a ceiling or doing tasks above your head) as this may aggravate your symptoms.

  5. You may be advised not to undergo chiropractic manipulations of your neck.

  6. You may be advised to assess your lifestyle habits for potential risks to your spinal cord. You may need to avoid high-risk activities such as contact sports, downhill skiing or working on high elevations (e.g. a roof).

  7. You may need to modify activities that can aggravate neck and/or arm pain. Consider ergonomic changes at your workplace.  Be aware of your neck posture, especially with prolonged use of your computer, your phone and with driving.