Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] Hi, my girlfriend woke up this morning with chronic neck pain. At first i thought it was just a stiff neck from sleeping funny,But she was unable to get out of bed or get dressed with out the pain just bringing her to an halt. The pain is in the left side of the neck, and no where else. It s more concerning that she was unable to move with out the pain which then shoots into the neck.
[|AI|]  Hi there. Thanks for your question at ChatDoctorThe term chronic neck pain is usually used to describe neck pain which has lasted for more than 6 weeks at the least. I think in your girlfriends scenario it can be termed as acute onset sever neck pain. Neck pain can usually cause due to varied etiologies involving the structures in neck mainly the nerves, muscles, disc, joints and abnormal posture. Pain restricted to neck only and which is not shooting down the arms is suggestive of pain arising from the muscles, joints, bones or disc. Pain arising from the nerves usually shoots down the arm into fingers and associated with numbness. Analgesics either taken orally as tablets or as local applications in the form gel or lotions have smoothening effect and relive pain most of the time. Ice gel application can help during the initial few days. If the pain still persists after medications for a week physiotherapy under prescription in the form of neck strengthening exercises, ultrasonic massage can help provided your girlfriend has no contraindications to such therapy. If the pain persists for an over 6 weeks, I would suggest her to visit an Orthopedic, so that at least a baseline X-ray and thorough examination can be done. Based on these and her response to medicines and physiotherapy, she might require an MRI. But neck pain usually resolves with medicines, rest and physiotherapy in the majority of patients suffering from the same. Hope this helps squall the best. Regards. Chat Doctor.