Jonathan Cluett, MD, is a committee-certified plastic surgeon with specialist training in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery.

Treatment of neck fractures (also called cervical spine fractures or cervical spine fractures) depends on the severity of the injury, whether the cervical spine (the bone that protects the spinal cord in the neck) is injured, and whether the spinal cord is involved. Minor compression fractures can usually be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers and a neck brace or brace to fix the neck until the fracture heals. The executioner’s fracture—the second vertebra (C2) down from the skull—may require traction, and surgery may be required for very severe neck fractures. When the rupture involves the spinal cord, paralysis or even death may occur. Therefore, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a person should not be moved when their neck is injured at any time, and urgent help should be sought immediately.

Whether you are dealing with a minor neck fracture or recovering from surgery to treat a more serious injury, there are ways to deal with the pain and inflammation that come with healing.

During the healing of the neck fracture, you may need medication to treat pain and inflammation.

For mild fractures, over-the-counter analgesics and/or anti-inflammatory drugs may be sufficient to relieve discomfort.

The most commonly recommended options are Tylenol and other forms of acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen). The generic forms of these drugs are as effective as the leading brands and are generally cheaper.

When OTC medications are not enough to relieve pain or other types of relief are needed, healthcare providers may prescribe certain medications for neck fractures, such as:

The main goal of treating cervical fractures is to stabilize the head and neck. This is usually done by fixation, which means wearing a neck brace or neck brace, or using other forms of traction.

Neck fractures involving extensive injuries may require surgery to reduce pressure on the spinal cord or remove any damaged discs.

The overall goal of neck fracture surgery is to preserve or improve nerve function, provide spinal stability and relieve pain. This is usually done by fusing the bones together.

Surgery usually involves cervical fusion at the back (posterior neck incision) and uses small metal screws and rods to stabilize the spine and repair the bones of the spine together. Other options include anterior (in front of the neck incision) decompression and fusion, with or without metal plates and screws. During surgery, severe fractures may require anterior and posterior incisions.

Surgical decompression, which is the removal of bone fragments from the spinal cord, may be necessary to maximize the patient's chances of recovering from spinal cord injury.

A neck fracture can be terrible. In fact, in some cases, it can be a serious or even life-threatening injury. Fractures involving the spinal cord can cause permanent medical problems, such as paralysis. Even a fracture that is successfully treated by surgery may take weeks or months to fully heal, and physical therapy and rehabilitation may be necessary for a person to achieve full function. In other words, most neck fractures can be successfully treated without lasting effects.

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American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Fracture of the cervical spine (broken neck). Updated in December 2013.

Godat LN, Kobayashi LM, Chang DC, Coimbra R. Increasing life expectancy: "broken neck" is not necessarily the final diagnosis of the elderly. Acute care in trauma surgery is open. 2018; 3(1): e000174. doi:10.1136/tsaco-2018-000174

Harris MB, Reichmann WM, Bono CM, etc. Mortality after cervical spine fracture in elderly patients. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010;92(3):567-74. doi:10.2106/JBJS.I.00003

Ringer JD. The effect of vitamin d on falls and fractures. Scand J Clin Lab Invest Suppl. 2012;243:73-8. doi:10.3109/00365513.2012.681965

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