After taking your history, your physician will give you a physical exam. This allows the doctor to rule out possible causes of pain and try to determine the source of your problem. The areas of your body that will be examined depend upon where you are experiencing pain-neck, lower back, arms, legs, etc.
Your doctor will look at your neck to find out
- how well you can bend your neck and move your head in all directions
- how well you can twist your neck
- if there is tenderness around your neck
- if there are muscle spasms around your neck and shoulders
Your doctor may want to test the nerves that leave the spine by checking for
- numbness in the arms and hands
- normal reflexes
- the amount of muscle strength in the arms, hands, and legs
- signs of nerve irritation
