Neck pain is common. Most of the time it is muscular, related to posture, and resolves with simple measures. But when neck pain is persistent, when it is accompanied by neurological symptoms such as tingling in the arms, or when it brings unexpected symptoms like tinnitus or dizziness, it needs proper investigation. If your neck pain has been going on for weeks and is not improving, seeing a private GP in London for a thorough assessment and imaging could reveal a cause that requires urgent treatment.
When Neck Pain Is More Than Just a Stiff Neck
Red flag features in neck pain include pain that radiates into one or both arms, numbness or tingling in the hands or fingers, weakness in the grip or difficulty with fine movements, headaches that start at the base of the skull, dizziness or unsteadiness, new onset tinnitus or a sensation of heat in the head, and pain that wakes you at night or is getting progressively worse despite rest and painkillers.
From Our Practice: Tinnitus That Turned Out to Be the Spine
A patient presented with an 8 week history of nocturnal symptoms: a sensation of heat in the head, behind the ears, and in the neck, followed by loud whistling in both ears. The symptoms began each evening, typically 30 to 60 minutes after going to bed, and became progressively louder. There was significant shoulder and neck pain alongside the tinnitus.
The patient had a history of arthritis and previous tinnitus, but this was a distinctly different pattern. On examination, the neck was very stiff and tender, and the right ear canal was inflamed. We arranged an MRI of the cervical spine, and the results were significant: multi level moderate degenerative disease with severe canal stenosis at C3/C4 causing focal cord impingement, and severe foraminal narrowing bilaterally at multiple levels with suspected impingement of the C4 through C8 nerve roots.
This was not a stiff neck. This was a spinal cord being compressed by degenerative changes in the cervical vertebrae, a condition that without treatment can lead to permanent neurological damage including weakness in the limbs and loss of fine motor control. We made an urgent referral to the spinal surgery team at a specialist neurological hospital, prescribed ear drops for the right ear canal inflammation, started a muscle relaxant for the acute spasm, and provided safety netting: any sudden worsening of symptoms, particularly weakness in the arms or legs or changes to bladder function, should prompt immediate hospital attendance.
The tinnitus, which might have been dismissed by another clinician as an ENT problem, was actually being caused by cervical nerve root compression. Without the MRI, this diagnosis would have been missed entirely.
Why Private Assessment Matters for Neck Pain
On the NHS, an MRI of the cervical spine can take 6 to 12 weeks from the point of GP referral. If the underlying cause is spinal cord compression, that delay can result in irreversible damage. At Clinique Alpa, we can arrange a private MRI within days and have the results reviewed within a week, allowing specialist referral to happen in 2 weeks rather than 3 to 4 months.
Book Your Neck Assessment
If your neck pain is persistent, worsening, or accompanied by any neurological symptoms, do not wait. Contact Clinique Alpa for a same day consultation.
Visit cliniquealpa.co.uk or call 0208 882 8088.