Judicious use of analgesics, muscle relaxants, and physiotherapy is useful in some patients. Injection of the facet joints with glucocorticoids appears to have no efficacy. Cervical sprain is a term describing transient neck pain associated with muscle tenderness and spasm. Cervical sprain usually responds to heat, rest, and occasionally immobilization and traction. In such patients, radiographic documentation and surgical decompression are sometimes needed if symptoms do not improve with rest or traction or if significant neurologic deficit is present.
Surgical decompression is indicated in patients with evolving myelopathy.