Neck Pain
Most neck pain is not dangerous and settles with movement, posture care and time. But when neck pain travels down the arm, comes with weakness or dizziness, or stiffens you in the morning like an inflammatory joint, I would like to take a careful look.
What neck pain is
Neck pain can come from muscles, small facet joints, discs, posture, injury, nerve irritation or inflammation. Because the neck supports the head and protects the nerves running to the arms, symptoms are often felt in the shoulders, upper back, arms or hands rather than only in the neck itself.
Symptoms to look out for
Aching or sharp pain in the neck, often with tight upper shoulders
Stiffness after sitting or in the morning
Pain spreading to the shoulder blade, upper back or arm
Headaches originating from neck tension
Numbness, tingling or weakness in the arm or hand
Clicking or grating in the neck, which is often harmless but can be worrying
Why this matters to a rheumatologist
As a rheumatologist, I look for inflammatory causes of neck pain, such as prolonged morning stiffness, other swollen joints, psoriasis, inflammatory back pain, uveitis or a family history of autoimmune disease. Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis can all involve the neck, and I do not want these missed.
Signs I would like you to seek care for
For emergency symptoms please seek urgent or emergency care first rather than waiting for a WhatsApp reply.
Sudden severe neck pain after an injury or fall
Weakness, numbness or difficulty walking
Loss of bladder or bowel control, which needs emergency care
Fever, night sweats or unexplained weight loss with neck pain
New severe headache in someone over 50 with shoulder or hip stiffness
Neck pain in a patient with a history of cancer
What a specialist review looks like
In clinic I examine your neck movement, shoulders, nerves and related joints, then decide together with you whether physiotherapy, medication, targeted imaging or rheumatology blood tests are needed. Where the pain looks mechanical I focus on posture, strengthening and pain control. Where the pattern is inflammatory or nerve-related, I plan the workup and treatment accordingly.
Questions my patients often ask me
Speak with me
If your neck pain is not settling, is waking you at night, travels down the arm, or comes with stiffness or swelling in other joints, please seek specialist care. I would like to help you find the cause.
Other conditions I treat
This page is for general education only and does not replace medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.