Neck Pain Treatment New Jersey

Neck Pain Is Common. Living With It Doesn’t Have to Be

Neck pain can make even simple daily activities difficult. Turning your head while driving, working at a computer, sleeping through the night, or looking down at your phone can all become painful when something isn’t functioning properly in your neck.

Many people assume neck pain is simply part of getting older or something they have to live with. In reality, persistent neck pain is often caused by a specific problem that can be diagnosed and treated.

For nearly 30 years, Dr. Todd Koppel has helped patients throughout New Jersey find relief from neck pain caused by herniated discs, arthritis, pinched nerves, spinal stenosis, and other conditions affecting the cervical spine. Rather than simply treating symptoms, he focuses on identifying the source of your pain and developing a treatment plan based on your specific diagnosis, lifestyle, and goals.

Whether your pain started after an injury or developed gradually over time, the right diagnosis is the first step toward feeling better.

Common Symptoms

Neck pain affects everyone differently. Depending on the cause, symptoms may include:

• Persistent neck pain or stiffness
• Pain when turning your head
• Difficulty looking up or down
• Pain that travels into the shoulder or arm
• Numbness or tingling in the fingers
• Weakness in the arm or hand
• Headaches that begin at the base of the skull
• Muscle spasms
• Pain that interferes with sleep, work, or daily activities

If your symptoms have lasted more than a few weeks or continue getting worse, it may be time to see a pain management specialist.

What Is Causing Your Neck Pain?

Neck pain can come from several different structures, and each has its own pattern and its own best treatment. Getting the diagnosis right is the difference between lasting relief and a revolving door of temporary fixes.

Cervical Disc Herniation

A herniated disc develops when one of the discs between the vertebrae presses on a nearby nerve. This often causes pain that travels from the neck into the shoulder, arm, or hand. Many patients also experience numbness, tingling, or weakness.

Depending on your condition, treatment may include medication, physical therapy, or cervical epidural steroid injections to reduce inflammation around the affected nerve.

Cervical Facet Joint Arthritis

The small joints in the back of the neck help your spine move smoothly. As these joints wear down over time or following an injury such as whiplash, they can become painful and inflamed.

Facet joint pain often causes aching in the neck that becomes worse when turning your head or looking upward. Many patients respond well to facet joint injections or radiofrequency ablation.

Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is a common age related condition involving arthritis, disc degeneration, and bone spur formation in the neck.

Symptoms often include chronic stiffness, decreased range of motion, and aching pain. In some patients, bone spurs can place pressure on nearby nerves and lead to pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms.

Cervical Spinal Stenosis

Narrowing of the cervical spinal canal (spinal stenosis) occurs when the spinal canal narrows and places pressure on the spinal cord or surrounding nerves.

Symptoms may include:

• Neck pain
• Arm pain
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Weakness
• Difficulty with balance
• Changes in coordination

Because spinal stenosis can become more serious over time, early evaluation is important.

How We Diagnose Neck Pain

Successful treatment starts with understanding exactly what is causing your pain.

During your visit, Dr. Koppel takes time to learn about your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, and how neck pain is affecting your everyday life. Your evaluation may include:

• Review of your symptoms
• Physical examination
• Testing of strength and reflexes
• Evaluation of sensation and nerve function
• Review of MRI, X rays, or CT scans when appropriate

Rather than guessing where the pain is coming from, Dr. Koppel carefully identifies the structure responsible before recommending treatment.

When to See a Pain Specialist?

Don’t wait to seek neck pain relief if any of these apply:

• Neck pain has lasted more than four to six weeks without improvement
• Pain is traveling into your shoulder, arm, or hand
• You have numbness or tingling in your arm or fingers
• You notice weakness in your arm or hand
• Neck pain followed an accident or fall

Treatment Options

• Cervical epidural steroid injections — for nerve root compression
• Cervical facet injections — for joint-related neck pain
• Medial branch blocks and radiofrequency ablation — for longer-term facet joint relief
• Selective nerve root blocks — for specific nerve level compression
• Minimally invasive disc procedures — for herniations not responding to injections

Why Choose Dr. Todd Koppel?

Choosing the right physician is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when seeking treatment for chronic neck pain.

Dr. Koppel has helped patients throughout New Jersey return to work, enjoy daily activities, and improve their quality of life through personalized pain management.

Patients choose Dr. Koppel because he offers:

• Nearly 30 years of experience treating neck and spine conditions
• 1,000+ five-star patient reviews across trusted review platforms
• Board Certified in Pain Medicine by the American Board of Anesthesiology
• Board Certified in Anesthesiology by the American Board of Anesthesiology
• Fellowship Trained in Interventional Pain Management
• Earned his medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College
• Residency training at The New York Hospital
• Personalized treatment plans based on your specific diagnosis
• Advanced image guided procedures for greater precision
• A conservative approach that emphasizes the least invasive treatment appropriate for your condition
• Compassionate care with time to answer your questions and explain your options

His goal is simple. Help you feel better, move better, and get back to living your life with less pain.