Tightness that builds through the workday
It starts at the base of the skull or the top of the shoulders, then sharpens after an hour or two at a screen.
Neck pain often starts as a band of tension at the base of the skull or across the top of the shoulders. After a couple of hours at a screen it sharpens. Turning to back up the car can catch, and an ache may settle between the shoulder blades.
Neck pain is a symptom with several possible sources. The upper trapezius, levator scapulae and suboccipitals often take on too much work. Meanwhile the deep neck flexors, small stabilizing muscles at the front of the spine, do too little. Stiff joints where the neck meets the upper back add strain. Nerves can become sensitive too, sending tingling or heaviness into the arm.
My main tool is dry needling, a form of acupuncture, on the muscles that reproduce your pain. The scalenes on the side of the neck can crowd the brachial plexus, the bundle of nerves heading into the arm. Needling them gives those nerves more space. The dorsal scapular nerve, which runs to the muscles along the shoulder blade, can also stay irritable. For that I use electroacupuncture, fine needles near the nerve carrying a gentle current, to help change how it signals. When the whole nervous system is amplifying pain, I work along the cervical and upper thoracic spine to help calm it.
Most people have tried stretching, a better chair, pain relievers, and often chiropractic adjustments or a round of physical therapy. These help many people, and a day or two of relief is common. They may not reach a specific tight muscle, a stiff joint at the base of the neck, or a nerve that has become sensitive. Imaging may show disc wear that doesn’t match how the pain behaves. New York does not allow PTs or chiropractors to dry needle, so needling the deep neck muscles is something they can’t offer.
I ask how your neck feels across a workday, which movements catch, and whether anything travels into the arm. Then the exam:
I work alongside primary care, orthopedics, pain medicine and physical therapy. When something I find suggests a check back with one of them, I’ll let you know and share the details.
Posture plays a part, but neck pain rarely comes from one bad position. I treat the muscles and joints that have become sensitive, then suggest small desk changes. Perfection isn’t the goal.
Often, yes. Disc changes are common and don’t always explain how pain behaves. Your doctor manages the disc itself. My part is the muscle tension, joint stiffness and nerve sensitivity that tend to come with it.
It’s usually a combination when more than one source is at play. Easing the muscles on the side of the neck relieves pressure on the nerves to the arm. Electroacupuncture comes in when a nerve stays reactive, and work along the spine when the whole system is turned up.
Usually one to three short exercises, about 5 to 10 minutes in total. They focus on keeping the motion and control you gain in treatment. They are chosen to fit around a full workday.
You may feel a quick cramp or a deep ache, then looseness or tiredness in the muscle. I choose the technique based on anatomy and how reactive your system is. I monitor you closely throughout.
Seek urgent medical care after significant trauma, or for weakness or numbness that is getting worse. New trouble with balance or walking, severe pain at night that won’t let up, or fever and feeling unwell also need a doctor first. The same goes for anything that suggests a cause outside the muscles and joints.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
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118 W. 72nd St, Rear Lobby, New York, NY 10023
Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
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