How is acute cervical strain or nonspecific cervicalgia treated?
Conservative treatment with NSAIDs with or without muscle relaxant is commonly employed.
Most cases resolve within 2 to 6 weeks. If the pain lasts beyond this time, reevaluation is necessary.
Sometimes there is lingering myofascial pain with reproducible trigger points.
Trigger-point injection with either lidocaine and steroids or lidocaine alone is often helpful.
Physical therapy should be considered for symptoms extending beyond 2 to 3 weeks.
