Pain Symptom
Neck Pain
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
Your neck is stiff and sore, it tightens through the workday, and turning to check your blind spot hurts. Pain may creep into your shoulders, between your shoulder blades or up into your head. Most neck pain comes from overworked muscles, stiff joints and sometimes irritated nerves, and those respond well to targeted treatment.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding Neck Pain
Neck pain is extremely common, especially with desk work, phone use, driving, poor sleep and stress. It ranges from stiffness and aching to sharp pain with turning, and it often spreads to the shoulders, upper back or head.
Common sources include trigger points in the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, suboccipital and scalene muscles, stiff facet joints in the neck, and irritated nerve roots from disc changes, which can send pain, numbness or tingling into the arm. Trigger points in neck muscles are also a major cause of headaches. Stress keeps these muscles tense throughout the day.
Your physician should evaluate neck pain after trauma or with neurological symptoms. Dr. Gordon treats the muscles, joints and nerves driving your neck pain.
Neck Pain at a Glance
Also called
Cervical pain, stiff neck, tech neck
Common sources
Muscle trigger points, stiff facet joints, irritated nerve roots
Key muscles
Upper trapezius, levator scapulae, suboccipitals, scalenes
Often seen with
Headaches, shoulder pain, upper back pain, arm symptoms
Common triggers
Desk and phone use, driving, poor sleep, stress
The Gap in Care
What Tests Check, and What They Can Miss
Neck pain is often treated with stretching or massage alone. Deep trigger points, joint stiffness and nerve irritation often need more direct care.
What routine testing is looking for
- Fractures after trauma
- Severe disc herniation with nerve compression
- Spinal cord compression
- Infection or inflammatory disease
What often keeps symptoms going
- Trigger points in the trapezius and levator scapulae
- Suboccipital tension linked to headaches
- Scalene tension affecting nerves to the arm
- Stiff neck and upper back joints
- Desk and phone posture
These are found with a hands-on and neurological exam.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Neck stiffness
Difficulty turning or tilting your head.
Aching that builds at the desk
Neck pain worsening through the workday.
Pain into the shoulders
Pain spreading to the tops of the shoulders.
Headaches
Headaches starting at the base of the skull.
Arm tingling
Tingling or numbness into the arm or hand.
Pain between the shoulder blades
Referred pain into the upper back.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
Muscle trigger points
Neck and shoulder muscles develop trigger points with sustained posture and stress.
Joint stiffness
Stiff neck joints limit movement and load the muscles.
Nerve irritation
Disc changes or tight scalenes can irritate nerves to the arm.
Posture and stress
Desk work and stress keep neck muscles working all day.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Neck Pain
The initial evaluation runs 60 to 75 minutes. You leave with a clear picture of what is driving your symptoms, a written plan, a realistic timeline, and in most cases your first treatment.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your imaging, physician or physical therapy notes, medications and past treatments so he knows what has been ruled out and what has already been tried.
Neck movement testing
Dr. Gordon tests rotation, bending and which movements reproduce pain.
Neurological screen
Dr. Gordon checks arm strength, reflexes and sensation.
Muscle mapping
Assessment of the trapezius, levator scapulae, suboccipitals and scalenes.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your physician, orthopedist or physical therapist when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- Neck pain with fever and a stiff neck
- Weakness, numbness or clumsiness in the arms or hands that is getting worse
- Trouble walking or new balance problems
- Pain after a significant fall or accident
- Dizziness, double vision, or trouble speaking or swallowing
- Unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for neck pain, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Orthopedic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon has used dry needling for more than 18 years. Treatment releases trigger points in the trapezius, levator scapulae, suboccipital and scalene muscles with precise, careful technique.
See all servicesNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Electro-acupuncture along the cervical nerve pathways to calm nerve irritation and pain.
See all servicesBetween visits
Desk Plan & Team Coordination
Workstation, sleep and movement guidance, coordinated with your physician or physical therapist.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Find the main driver
Dr. Gordon confirms which muscles and nerves are behind your symptoms and starts calming the most reactive areas. Many people notice early changes between visits.
Visits 4 to 8
Lower the baseline
Day-to-day symptoms ease, flares become shorter and less frequent, and normal routines start to feel more manageable.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build resilience
Visits are spaced out as improvement holds. You leave with a maintenance and early-flare plan.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
"Today was the first time I've ever tried acupuncture. ... For the first time in a long time I didn't feel any neck pain. I'm truly a believer and Dr.Gordon is amazing. He really knows what he's doing."
Nutella Bella, Google Review
Neck Pain Questions
Answers About Neck Pain
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
Yes, when performed by a trained provider with detailed knowledge of neck anatomy. Dr. Gordon uses precise angles and depths.
Yes. Neck trigger points are a common cause of headaches.
Nerve irritation in the neck or tight scalene muscles can cause arm symptoms.
One that keeps your neck level with your spine. Dr. Gordon gives practical suggestions.
Many people improve within four to eight sessions.
After trauma or with worsening neurological symptoms, yes.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For neck pain, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioFurther Reading
What Does Dry Needling Feel Like? A Walk Through Your First Session
From the blog: the pinch, the twitch and the deep ache, and what the day after is like.
Desk Work, Neck Tension and Headaches: The Muscles Behind It
From the blog: Hours at a desk or on a phone load a few neck and shoulder muscles. How trigger points there can cause headaches, and simple desk changes that can help.
Pain Between the Shoulder Blades: What Is Usually Behind It
From the blog: Pain between the shoulder blades most often starts in the muscles there or in the lower neck. What drives it, and the warning signs that need a doctor first.
Neck Pain and Pain Behind the Eye: How They Connect
From the blog: A stiff neck and an ache behind one eye are often linked. How upper neck nerves can send pain to the eye, which muscles take part, and when to see a doctor.
Book an Evaluation for Neck Pain
Book a full evaluation with Dr. Gordon and find what is driving your neck pain.
Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
Keep Reading