Tech neck
Pain from looking down at a laptop or phone for hours. Often a stiff neck, tight shoulders, and a headache that starts at the base of the skull. The joints in the neck can stay inflamed long after you sit up. See our neck pain page.
Consultant Pain Medicine · Sandyford
Pain from desk workhelp
Long hours at a laptop are fine until your neck, back or wrist will not recover. A better chair helps some people. When it does not, the problem is often in a joint or a nerve, and that is what a pain consultant treats. You will be seen at Beacon Court in Sandyford by doctors who specialise in this work.
- Consultant in Pain Medicine
- Personalised exercise plan
- Ongoing support
Overview
Why this keeps coming back, and why we can treat it
We often see people who have already tried physio, painkillers, and changes at work, but are still living with persistent or recurring pain. In many cases, the next step is to identify the underlying source of the problem. You'll be assessed by a specialist in pain medicine who can investigate whether your pain is coming from a joint, disc, nerve, or another cause, and recommend a focused treatment plan tailored to you.
Nearly 1 in 3 people have neck pain at least once a year. It is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Work-related musculoskeletal problems are also among the most commonly reported occupational health issues in Europe. None of that makes your pain “just part of the job”. It means it is common, and it is treatable.
Sources: The Lancet, Global Burden of Disease Study; European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
Physio is a good first step. This is the next one.
If you are still in pain after rest, stretching and a better setup, you are in the right place. We find the source and treat that.
Symptoms
Problems we see in IT and remote workers
These are the patterns that walk through our door. Most of them do not need surgery. They do need someone who can tell a tired muscle from a joint or a nerve.
Lower back pain from sitting
Aching or stiffness after long coding or meeting days. A kitchen-table desk makes it worse, but so can a good office chair if a disc or facet joint is the source. See back pain.
Wrist pain and RSI
Mouse and keyboard strain, tingling in the fingers, or pain that wakes you at night. That can be tendonitis, or it can be a nerve, including carpal tunnel. See wrist pain.
Shoulder and upper back tension
Reaching for a mouse, a laptop on your knees, or hunching on calls. If it has lasted weeks, it may not be “just tightness”. See shoulder pain.
Hand pain from typing
Stiffness, triggering, or nerve symptoms after heavy typing. Worth examining properly rather than waiting for a weekend to fix it. See hand pain.
Headaches from the neck
Pain that starts in the neck and travels into the head after screen time. These are often cervicogenic, which means treating the neck can settle the headache. See headache and migraine care.
Causes
When to get help
Give stretches and a better setup a fair go. If any of these apply, waiting it out usually just gives you more of the same. A consultant assessment is the way to find out what is actually driving it.
Pain lasting more than a few weeks
Neck or back pain that is still there after rest, stretching and physio.
You cannot sit through meetings
Pain that makes long calls or focus time harder than it should be.
Pain that wakes you at night
That is a reason to be examined, not a reason to buy a new pillow and hope.
Tingling, numbness or weakness
In the arms, hands or fingers after typing or using a mouse. That can be a nerve.
Your home setup is making it worse
Laptop on a sofa or dining table, day after day. We still need to treat the pain that is already there.
Painkillers are no longer enough
You are coping, but the problem is not settling. Medication can be reviewed so you are not foggy at work.
Treatments
Treatment options
The plan depends on whether the pain is coming from a joint, a nerve, a disc or overuse. These are the main tools we use, and why they help people who sit and type all day.
Explore Treatments
Targeted Injections
If a joint or nerve is inflamed, an injection can calm it in a way stretching cannot. We use this when desk-related neck, back, shoulder or wrist pain is not settling.
Medication Review
We look at what you are already taking. The aim is relief you can work on, not a tablet that leaves you foggy in meetings.
Rehabilitation Support
Once the pain is under control, you need a movement plan that survives a real working week. That is how the gain lasts after you go back to your desk.
For HR, occupational health and company leaders
Workplace partnerships
If someone on your team has been in pain for weeks and still cannot sit through a normal day, another ergonomic assessment may not be enough. We are a consultant pain clinic in Beacon Court, Sandyford, beside south Dublin's technology and business parks.
We do not replace your GP or occupational health provider. Once a GP referral is in, we assess the person, find the source of the pain, and set a plan so they can stay in work where that is appropriate. We regularly see engineers, product managers, designers and operations staff who work on-site, from home, or in a hybrid pattern.
- A named clinic contact for HR and occupational health
- Typical first appointments within 1 to 2 weeks
- Care for neck, back, shoulder, wrist and RSI
- Major Irish health insurers accepted; confirm cover with the insurer
How it works
What to Expect
Getting started is straightforward.
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1
Request
Ask your GP for a referral to Beacon Pain Clinic, then book online or call us. It takes a couple of minutes. If you are not sure this is the right next step, ring us and we will tell you honestly. Employers should start with the workplace section above.
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2
Consultation
Your consultation will usually last 30–45 minutes with one of our experienced pain specialists. This gives your doctor time to understand your symptoms, review your medical history, discuss any previous treatments, and consider the most appropriate next steps for you. The consultation fee is €350, payable on the day of your appointment.
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3
Your Treatment Plan
We'll create an individual, tailored pain management plan based on your needs. This may include a combination of treatments, procedures, or infusions, with review appointments to monitor your progress and ongoing care from our experienced pain specialists.
Common questions
FAQs
Do I need a GP referral?
A GP referral is required for insurance cover of any treatments or procedures. If you are self-paying, a GP referral may not be required. Please bring any relevant medical information, reports, scans, or medication details to your appointment. Our current waiting time is typically 1–2 weeks.
Who will I see?
A consultant in pain medicine. The team includes Prof. Oleg Ilyinski, a UCD Associate Clinical Professor with more than 20 years in pain medicine; Asst. Prof. Wajid Khan, who holds the Irish fellowship in pain medicine (FFPMCAI); and Dr Sven Sommer, who specialises in ultrasound-guided procedures. You can read more about them on our about page.
I have already had physiotherapy. Why come here?
Physiotherapy treats muscle and movement, and it is often the right first step. If the pain is still there, the source is often a joint, a disc or a nerve. That is what we diagnose. It is also why an injection or a medication change can help when stretches have not.
Can my employer or HR team arrange this?
Yes. People, HR, occupational health and company directors can contact us about a workplace partnership. Individual patients still need a GP referral before a consultation.
Do you treat remote and hybrid workers?
Yes. Many of the people we see work from home or split the week. A laptop on a kitchen table, long video calls and a mouse that never leaves the right hand are common reasons neck, back and wrist pain keeps coming back.
Is it covered by insurance?
We accept all the major insurers. We recommend checking with your insurer, and with your employer if you have an occupational health or corporate scheme, to confirm what is covered.
How soon can I get seen?
Usually within 1 to 2 weeks. If it is urgent, let us know and we will try to fit you in sooner.
Where is the clinic?
Suite 32, The Mall, Beacon Court, Sandyford, Dublin 18. Appointments are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. It is a practical location if you work around south Dublin's technology and business parks.
Conditions we treat