Back and neck pain
Most back and neck pain comes from muscles, joints or discs of the spine and often settles with time. Pain that lasts more than a few months deserves a careful assessment.
Common symptoms
- Ache or stiffness in the back or neck
- Pain spreading into a leg (sciatica) or an arm, from an irritated nerve
- Tingling or numbness along a limb
- Pain that changes with sitting, standing or bending
How it is assessed
The doctor asks how the pain began and what changes it, examines movement, strength and reflexes, and reviews your scans. Many people with back pain do not need a new scan.
Possible options
- Explanation and staying active
- Medicines for pain or nerve pain
- Physiotherapy and guided exercise (rehabilitation)
- For selected patients: an injection near the spine given under X-ray or ultrasound guidance, or radiofrequency treatment, which uses heat to calm a pain-carrying nerve
What to keep in mind
Scan findings such as disc bulges are common in people without pain, so they do not always explain symptoms. Injections may give partial or temporary relief, and not everyone benefits. Every procedure has risks, which are explained before you decide.
Seek urgent help if
- Loss of control of bladder or bowel, or numbness around the private parts
- New weakness in a leg or arm
- Back pain with fever, unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer
- Pain after a fall or injury
Next step
Keep a short note of when the pain started, what eases it, and medicines you have tried, then request an assessment.
Request an assessmentGeneral information only. Your doctor will advise what suits you.