How Long Should I Wait for Neck Pain to Go Away?

For most of us, our first response to pain is just to wait for it to go away. There’s a certain logic to this. Our bodies heal naturally, and many injuries, even very painful ones, will pass the time. We are more likely just to wait for pain to go away if it starts without any apparent cause.  People are more likely to go to the doctor for something that involves a cut or a major blow that leads to sudden effects. Otherwise, pain that starts for seemingly no reason might go away just as if you deal with it patiently.

So, how long should you wait for neck pain to go away? If it continues for several weeks despite regular home care, it’s time to see an orthopedic spine specialist.

When Is Neck Pain Too Severe?

Another factor that influences when people see a doctor is the severity of their neck pain. If neck pain isn’t too bad, you might just try to shrug it off and keep going about your normal business.

So, when is neck pain so severe you need to see a doctor? When neck pain doesn’t respond to the recommended doses of OTC medications, if it radiates to your arms and legs or is accompanied by severe headaches, you should see a doctor. You should also see a doctor if neck pain significantly impacts your daily life.

When Is Neck Pain Significantly Impacting My Life?

Many people don’t think they need to see a doctor about neck pain if they can keep living their life normally. Maybe even a little disruption is okay as they adjust to their neck pain.

But how much of an adjustment is too much? How do you know neck pain significantly impacts your life and needs professional care? You should consider seeing an orthopedic spine specialist for neck pain if you:

• Can’t sleep because of pain
• Can’t go to work because of pain
• Have canceled one or more activities you were looking forward to because of pain

In this case, the pain is taking a significant toll on your life, and you need to get professional care.

Why Choose Colorado Advanced Orthopedics for Spine Care

At Colorado Advanced Orthopedics, our spine specialists can help relieve your pain through many methods. From simple physical therapy to ultrasound-guided spine injections to spine surgery, we can apply any spinal treatment method necessary to help alleviate your discomfort.

Our sports medicine physician, Dr. Justin Grant, provides conservative treatments for neck and spine issues, including exercise programs, manual therapy, or injections to help you avoid surgery. If surgery is necessary, it will be performed by our orthopedic spine specialist, Dr. J. Alex Sielatycki. You can visit either physician for your initial evaluation, but Dr. Sielatycki will usually refer patients back to Dr. Grant for diagnostic injections and other conservative treatments before considering surgery.

Orthopedic spine specialist Dr. J. Alex Sielatycki is highly committed to excellence in patient care. He works hard to preserve the motion of your spine while finding relief from neck and back pain. He considers spinal fusion procedures a last resort, only used if other approaches are exhausted.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Colorado Advanced Orthopedics serves patients in Meeker, the White River Valley, and the Western Slope.