Pinched Nerve in the Neck: Pain Relief, Exercises, Surgery (2024)

A pinched nerve in the neck can cause pain, numbness, and weakness that extends through the neck, shoulder, and arm. The medical name for neck nerve pain is "cervical radiculopathy."

While the symptoms of a pinched nerve in the neck and shoulder can be really uncomfortable, treatment for a pinched nerve in the neck can help. Rest, over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief, physical therapy, steroid injections, and wearing a neck collar can relieve pain and discomfort from a pinched nerve. Luckily, most of the time a pinched nerve resolves on its own within days or weeks.

Continue reading to learn more about a pinched nerve in the neck, including why this causes neck nerve pain (also called cervical spine pain) and what treatments can help.

Pinched Nerve in the Neck: Pain Relief, Exercises, Surgery (1)

How a Pinched Nerve in the Neck Feels

The symptoms of a pinched nerve in your neck are:

  • Sharp pain that extends into the shoulder and arm. The main might get worse or have a shooting feeling when you turn your head
  • Tingling or feeling of pins-and-needles in the fingers or hand
  • Weakness in the arm, shoulder, or hand
  • Numbness or loss of feeling

Oftentimes, these symptoms happen only on one side of the body. Some people find that their pain is less when they lift their hand onto their head, since this can take pressure off the nerve.

How Do You Pinch a Nerve in Your Neck?

To understand a pinched nerve, it’s helpful to learn about the spinal cord. The area of the spinal cord around the neck is known as your cervical spine. It’s made up of seven vertebrae (spinal bones). Your nerves branch off from the spinal cords in the spaces between your vertebrae.

A pinched nerve occurs when the space between two vertebrae is reduced. This puts pressure on the nerve, “pinching” it and causing pain.

Pinched nerves can occur due to age because the spinal discs between your vertebrae naturally become compressed over time. Age causes about 70% to 80% of pinched nerves.

Other factors that cause pinched nerves include:

  • A herniated disc
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Injuries, like car accidents, falls or other trauma to the spine

A Guide to Managing Cervical Spinal Stenosis

Quick Relief for Pinched Nerve Pain in the Neck

If you have nerve pain and think you have a pinched nerve, you can start treatments at home. Here’s how:

  • Rest: Find a comfortable position and try to allow the muscles in your neck to relax and rest.
  • Use OTC pain medications: Pain medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can help make you more comfortable.
  • Heat or ice: Warmth and coolness can relieve neck pain and inflammation. Use a warm or cool compress for 15 minutes at a time.

Treatment for Severe Symptoms of a Pinched Nerve in the Neck


If your pain doesn’t resolve within a few days, or if it is so bad that you can’t go about your day, it’s time to see a healthcare provider. Healthcare providers can diagnose a pinched nerve after a physical exam. They might also recommend imaging, including an X-ray, computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or electromyography (EMG). These imaging techniques can reveal what’s causing your pain.

After diagnosing your condition, your healthcare provider will make a treatment plan, which may include the following:

Oral Corticosteroids

Oral steroids like prednisone can help reduce inflammation. It can be helpful if inflammation or swelling in your neck is putting more pressure on the nerve.

Muscle Relaxers

These medications keep the muscles in your neck from seizing up. As the muscles relax, you may get relief from nerve pain.

Cervical Collar

A soft cervical collar is a brace that fits around your neck. It supports your head so that your neck muscles are able to relax, which can facilitate healing. The collar can also keep your head from turning in ways that are painful.

Steroid Injections

Steroid shots reduce inflammation quickly because they’re given right into the tissue that’s painful.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can help you build strength and flexibility in your neck. This is especially important if you have pinched nerve pain that happens frequently in the same spot.

Narcotic Pain Medications

Narcotic pain medications can be used short-term by people who have severe pain caused by a pinched nerve. These medications, which include opiates, can be dangerous, so always talk with your healthcare provider about the benefits and drawbacks.

Neck Exercises With a Pinched Nerve

Gentle stretches for your neck can help alleviate the pain from a pinched nerve. Try the following stretches:

  • Chin to chest: Bring your chin toward your chest. Hold for 20 seconds, then return to a neutral position. Do this five times.
  • Eyes to sky: Lean your head back, looking toward the sky. Hold for 20 seconds, then return to your starting position. Do this five times.
  • Side to side: Turn your head as far as you can to the right, bringing your chin in line with your shoulder. Hold for 20 seconds, then turn as far as you can toward the left. Repeat four times.
  • Ear to shoulder: Bring your ear down toward your shoulder. Hold for 20 seconds, then repeat the exercise on the other side. Alternate between your right and left, stretching each side five times.

While it’s normal for exercises to hurt a little, they should never hurt more than a 5 on a pain scale of 1 to 10. If they do, stop exercising.

How Long Does a Pinched Nerve in the Neck Take to Heal?

If you’re in pain you probably want to know how soon it will stop. Unfortunately, the answer is, it depends. Some people find the pain from a pinched nerve goes away in days. For others, it can last for weeks. Occasionally, the pain goes away and then returns. The treatments above can help lessen the pain and manage it while it lasts.

Pinched Nerve in Neck Still Hurting

If your pain doesn’t go away with the treatments above or lasts more than a few days, talk with your healthcare provider or return for a second visit. Rarely do people need surgery to stop the pain from a pinched nerve. Your healthcare provider will discuss whether surgery is a good option for you, and what to expect in terms of pain relief.

Summary

A pinched nerve can cause lots of pain, numbness and weakness. Using over-the-counter pain medications, resting your muscles, and gentle stretching can help. If you’re still in pain after a day or two, see your healthcare provider. They can prescribe medications or recommend a brace that might help with pain relief.

Physical therapy can help if you have recurrent pinched nerve pain. It’s very rare that someone will need surgery to treat a pinched nerve, but if other treatments don’t help, surgery can provide relief.

4 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. OrthoInfo. Cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve). American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. August 2020.

  2. Harvard. Treating a pinched nerve. Harvard Health Publishing. June 26, 2021.

  3. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Pinched nerve. National Institute of Health. January 20, 2023.

  4. National Health Service. Exercises for neck and point problems.

Pinched Nerve in the Neck: Pain Relief, Exercises, Surgery (2)

By Kelly Burch
Burch is a New Hampshire-based freelance health writer with a bachelor's degree in communications from Boston University.

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Pinched Nerve in the Neck: Pain Relief, Exercises, Surgery (2024)

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