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Back and Neck Pain Treatment in Newport Beach
Medically reviewed by Dr. Michael Shahbazian (Dr. Mike), Board-Certified, Fellowship-Trained Pain Management Physician | Last reviewed: September 2026
Back and neck pain are the most common reasons patients come to OC Regenerative and Pain Center. Most have already tried rest, stretching, or medication. If the pain keeps coming back, the next step is finding out exactly what is causing it and treating that directly.
Dr. Mike is a board-certified, fellowship-trained pain management physician who specializes in spine conditions. He uses image-guided, non-surgical treatments to reduce pain and get you back to normal activity. Patients looking for a back pain doctor or neck pain doctor in Newport Beach come to us from across Orange County.
Back and neck conditions we treat include:
● Herniated, protruding, and bulging discs
● Degenerative disc disease and spondylosis
If your main symptom is pain that travels down your leg, see our sciatica and nerve pain treatment page. Not sure what is causing your pain? That is what the first visit is for.
Understanding Your Back or Neck Pain
Back and neck pain almost always has a specific source: a disc, a joint, a nerve, or a muscle. Here is what each condition means and how we treat it.
Herniated and Bulging Discs
The discs between your spinal bones act as cushions. When one bulges or tears, it can press on a nerve and cause back or neck pain that may travel into an arm or leg. Most herniated discs improve without surgery. We confirm the source, then use targeted injections to calm the irritated nerve while the disc heals.
Degenerative Disc Disease
With age, discs lose water and height. For some people this causes ongoing low back pain or neck pain that gets worse with sitting, bending, or standing for long periods. We treat the inflammation around the worn disc and keep you moving. Patients who want a regenerative option may be candidates for PRP for chronic back and neck pain.
Facet Joint Pain and Spinal Arthritis
Facet joints are the small joints on the back of your spine that let you bend and twist. When they wear down, you feel a deep ache that is worse when you lean back or turn your head. This is one of the most common and most treatable causes of chronic back and neck pain. A diagnostic injection can help confirm whether the facet joint is the source of pain, and targeted PRP injections may provide longer lasting relief for appropriately selected patients.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the space around your spinal nerves, usually from arthritis. Patients often feel leg heaviness or pain when walking that eases when they sit or lean forward. Epidural steroid injections reduce swelling around the nerves and help many patients walk farther with less pain.
Pinched Nerve in the Neck (Cervical Radiculopathy)
A pinched nerve in the neck causes sharp pain, tingling, or weakness that runs from the neck into the shoulder, arm, or hand. A herniated disc or arthritis is usually the cause. We identify which nerve is affected and treat it with image-guided injections so you can avoid or delay surgery.
Muscle Strain and Back Spasms
Not every back problem is a disc. Strained muscles and repeated spasms are common after lifting, sports, or long hours at a desk, and they are the usual cause of upper and middle back pain. Spasms that keep returning often point to a joint or disc problem underneath. Treatment for back pain and spasms may include trigger point injections, a short course of medication, and a rehabilitation plan.
Whiplash and Neck Injuries
Whiplash from a car accident or fall can injure the discs, facet joints, and muscles of the neck at the same time. Neck pain that lasts more than a few weeks after an injury needs a proper evaluation. Dr. Mike identifies which structures were injured and treats each one.
Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain
The sacroiliac joints connect your spine to your pelvis. SI joint pain sits low in the back, just above the buttock, and is often mistaken for a disc problem. A diagnostic SI joint injection confirms the source, and targeted treatment follows.
How We Find the Cause of Your Pain
Treatment only works if it is aimed at the right target. Every new patient gets a full evaluation before any treatment plan is developed and implemented.
History and exam. We review where your pain is located, what makes it better or worse, how it affects you, and treatments you have already tried.
Imaging review. Dr. Mike personally reviews your available x-rays, MRI, or other relevant imaging and explains the findings in understandable terms. If additional imaging is needed, he will discuss it with you.
Diagnostic injections when needed. If the source is unclear, a targeted diagnostic injection or nerve block may help determine which joint, nerve, or other structure is contributing to your pain.
You leave the first visit with a diagnosis, a treatment plan, and a clear idea of what to expect.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Back and Neck Pain
Back pain treatment and neck pain treatment at OC Regenerative and Pain Center in Newport Beach is individualized based on your diagnosis, examination, imaging findings, and treatment goals. When an interventional procedure is appropriate, image guidance is used to precisely target the intended area.
Epidural steroid injections. Targeted anti-inflammatory medication may be placed in the epidural space to reduce inflammation and pain associated with an irritated spinal nerve, such as from a disc herniation or certain forms of spinal stenosis and radiculopathy.
Facet joint injections and medial branch blocks. These targeted procedures can help determine whether the facet joints are contributing to neck or back pain and may help guide subsequent treatment.
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA). For appropriately selected patients with confirmed facet mediated pain, radiofrequency energy can be used to interrupt pain signals from the small medial branch nerves supplying the affected facet joints.
Nerve blocks. Precisely targeted injections may be used diagnostically to help identify a source of pain or therapeutically to reduce symptoms in selected conditions.
Regenerative treatments. PRP injections for back and neck pain and other autologous orthobiologics, such as BMAC stem cell therapy, may be considered for selected patients. These treatments use biologic material from the patient's own body. Available options, potential benefits, limitations, and alternatives are discussed individually based on the patient's condition.
Rehabilitation and medication management. Treatment may also incorporate physical therapy, exercise, activity modification, and appropriate medication management as part of a comprehensive non-surgical treatment plan, in line with our opioid prescribing policy.
Treatment recommendations are individualized and based on clinical evaluation. Not every treatment is appropriate for every patient, and individual results vary.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
Before you arrive. Complete your patient forms online and bring any available imaging reports, prior medical records, and a current list of medications. Having this information available helps make your consultation as thorough and productive as possible.
During the visit. Plan on approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Dr. Mike will review your history, discuss your symptoms and previous treatments, perform an appropriate examination, and personally review available imaging with you. He will explain the findings in understandable terms, discuss the likely source of your pain, and determine whether any additional evaluation or diagnostic testing may be helpful.
Your plan. Dr. Mike will explain the treatment options that may be appropriate for your condition, including the potential benefits, limitations, and alternatives, so you understand the recommended next steps. If a procedure is recommended, the appropriate setting, our office or an ambulatory surgery center, will be determined based on the specific procedure, your medical history and health status, and other relevant clinical considerations.
When to See a Doctor for Back or Neck Pain
Back or neck pain that persists, returns, or interferes with your daily life deserves a thorough evaluation. Consider scheduling an evaluation if your pain:
Persists despite time and conservative treatment
Keeps returning or is progressively worsening
Travels into an arm or leg, or is associated with numbness, tingling, or weakness
Interferes with work, sleep, walking, exercise, or normal daily activities
Has not improved adequately with treatments such as medication, physical therapy, or other conservative care
Seek immediate medical attention or go to the emergency room for new loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin or saddle area, new or rapidly worsening significant weakness, severe symptoms following significant trauma, or back or neck pain accompanied by fever or serious systemic illness.
Get Relief from Back and Neck Pain in Newport Beach
You do not have to continue managing persistent back or neck pain without knowing your options. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Mike for a comprehensive evaluation of your symptoms, examination findings, available imaging, and previous treatment. He will discuss the likely source of your pain and explain the appropriate treatment options and next steps.
Or call (949) 207-9494.
Treatment recommendations are individualized and based on clinical evaluation. Not every treatment is appropriate for every patient, and individual results vary.
Conditions We Treat
Back and Neck Pain
Sciatica and Nerve Pain
Joint Pain
Knee Pain
Hip Pain
Shoulder Pain
We Can Help
Tell us where it hurts and how long it has been going on. We will call you to set up a consultation with Dr. Mike.
Contact Us Today
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Or call (949) 207-9494
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Frequently Asked Questions About Back and Neck Pain Treatment
Why Patients Choose Dr. Mike for Back and Neck Pain
Board certified pain management with advanced interventional spine expertise, focused on non-surgical care and explained in understandable terms.
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Spine Is His Specialty
Dr. Mike is board certified in pain management and fellowship trained in interventional pain management, with extensive experience evaluating and treating complex back and neck conditions.
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Precision Through Image Guidance
When appropriate for the procedure, fluoroscopy (live x-ray) or ultrasound is used to precisely guide treatment to the intended anatomical target.
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Diagnosis Driven Treatment
You will know what is causing your pain before anything is injected.
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Regenerate. Don't Medicate.
We look beyond managing symptoms with medication, treating the underlying source of pain with non-surgical and regenerative options when clinically appropriate.
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Comprehensive In-Office Consultations
Dr. Mike evaluates patients in person to perform a thorough examination, review available imaging, discuss the likely source of pain, and explain treatment options.
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Clear and Transparent Communication
We discuss recommended care and, when applicable, insurance benefit information and anticipated financial responsibility before scheduling treatment.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Schedule an in-office consultation with Dr. Mike at OC Regenerative and Pain Center in Newport Beach. Your consultation will focus on understanding your symptoms, reviewing your history and available imaging, identifying the likely source of your pain, and discussing treatment options and appropriate next steps.