Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Treating neck pain at home
• Part 2 of 2: Seeking treatment for neck pain
• Tips
• Warning

Neck pain is common and can be caused by a variety of problems, including muscle strain, ligament sprain, stuck intervertebral joints (facet joints), herniated discs, pinched nerves and diseases such as osteoarthritis. The most common cause of neck pain is poor posture or positioning, whether at your work desk, driving a car, exercising at the gym, or sleeping in your bed at night. Bad posture, combined with stress (which causes tight muscles) is a recipe for chronic neck pain. But most neck pain cases can be treated at home with the right information, and only the more stubborn (or severe) cases need some form of professional treatment.

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Part 1 of 2: Treating neck pain at home

1. Be patient and rest. Your cervical spine (neck) is a complex collection of bones, joints, ligaments, nerves, muscles and blood vessels. As such, there are many structures that can generate pain if you move your neck the wrong way or experience trauma, such as whiplash. Major neck pain can come on quickly, but it can sometimes disappear just as quickly (without treatment) because the body has a fantastic ability to judge and heal itself. Therefore, be patient for a few hours if you get a bout of neck pain, avoid stressful or irritating activities, and stay positive.
   • Neck injury symptoms that indicate that you should seek immediate medical attention include: severe neck pain that progressively worsens, muscle weakness and / or loss of feeling in your arms, throbbing headache, blurred vision, loss of balance and / or nausea.
   • Resting your stiff or sore neck is wise, but for most injuries, making it completely immobile in a neck collar or brace isn't recommended - it promotes weakened muscles and less mobile joints. At least a little neck movement is required to promote blood flow and stimulate healing.
   • If your neck pain is training related, you may be exercising too aggressively or not in good shape - talk to a personal trainer.
2. Apply cold therapy for acute pain. Applying cold therapy is an effective treatment for almost all acute (recent) skeletal muscle joint injuries, including neck pain. Cold therapy (be it ice, a frozen gel pack, or a bag of vegetables from the freezer) should be applied to the most painful part of your neck to reduce inflammation and pain. The cold causes the local blood vessels to constrict, preventing excessive swelling, and it numbs small nerve fibers. For the first three to four hours after injury, apply cold therapy every hour for 15 minutes, then reduce the frequency after the pain and swelling subside.
   • Pressing the ice against your neck with a stretch bandage or elastic wrap will also help fight inflammation, but be careful not to shut off circulation completely.
   • Always wrap frozen items in a thin towel to avoid skin irritation or frostbite on your neck.
   • Acute pain does not usually last for more than a few weeks, but can progress to chronic pain if it lasts for a few months or more.
   • Keep in mind that cold therapy may not be suitable for chronic (long-term) neck pain that does not involve much inflammation - moist heat can provide more relief.
3. Apply moist heat for chronic pain. If your neck pain has become chronic (lasting more than a few months) and feels stiffer and sore instead of inflamed and painful, avoid cold therapy and apply moist heat. Microwave herbal pouches are tailor-made for neck pain and work well to relax muscles and pain in intervertebral joints, especially those aromatherapy-treated products (such as lavender or rosemary). Unlike an acutely injured neck, chronic neck stiffness benefits from the increased blood flow that heat provides. Apply the herb bag up to three times a day, about 20 minutes at a time.
   • Alternatively, you can soak your chronically sore neck and shoulders in a hot bath of Epsom salt for 20 minutes. The hot water improves circulation, and the magnesium-rich salt works well to reduce ligament and tendon tension, joint stiffness, and pain.
   • Applying some form of moist heat to your neck just before doing stretching exercises (see below) is sensible in most cases because it makes the muscles more flexible and therefore less likely to stretch.
4. Take painkillers in the short term. For acute neck problems, consider taking non-steroidal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin, but keep in mind that these are short-term solutions to help you manage inflammation and pain. These remedies can damage your stomach and kidneys, so don't try to use them for more than 2 weeks at a time. Always remember that aspirin and ibuprofen are not suitable for intake by young children.
   • If your neck is stiff rather than inflamed, you can take over-the-counter analgesics such as acetaminophen, which are much gentler on your stomach but can negatively affect your liver.
   • If muscle spasms or precautions are a major element of your neck pain (common with whiplash injuries), consider taking muscle relaxants like cyclobenzaprine, but never take them with NSAIDs. Check if there are muscle relaxants available without a prescription.
   • As a general guideline, nagging pain is usually an indication of muscle pain or tension, while sharp pain with movements is often caused by joint / ligament injuries.
5. Do some light stretching. Whatever causes your neck pain, chances are the surrounding muscles will respond by becoming stiff and restricting movement. Therefore, as long as you don't feel sharp, electrical, or stabbing pain with neck movements (which can indicate a hernia or fracture), gentle neck stretches are likely to be beneficial. Sore and tight muscles respond well to the stretch because it reduces muscle tension and improves flexibility. It is helpful to do stretches and neck movements after a hot shower, regardless of whether your neck pain is acute or chronic.
   • Good mobilization to start with includes shoulder rolls and circular movements of your head. Then continue with neck rotations (looking side to side) and flexi / extensions (looking up and down). Spend a few minutes on each set of movements.
   • Once your neck has warmed up, start by making your neck flexible laterally - by trying to bring your ear closer to your shoulder. Do both sides. Then bend your neck forward (chin to chest) and turn it slightly to the side until you stare down at your foot. Repeat this on the other side.
   • Do all neck stretches for about 30 seconds per side while taking a deep breath, three to five times a day until the pain subsides.
   • Always stretch or move your neck within your pain tolerance. If you stretch your neck and feel pain, gradually bring your neck back to where you don't feel pain. Don't stretch past that point.
   • Over time, your range of pain-free movement will gradually increase.
6. Don't sleep on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach is a common cause of neck and shoulder pain because the neck is turned to the side for extended periods of time to allow breathing. Excessive twisting of the neck irritates the small facet joints of the spine, ligaments, tendons, and nerves of the neck. The best sleeping position for your neck is either on your back or on your side (like the classic fetal position). Sleeping on the stomach is a tough habit for some people to break, but the benefits to your neck and the rest of your spine are well worth changing positions.
   • When lying on your back, don't let your head lie higher than a pillow, as the increased neck flexion can lead to pain.
   • When lying on your side, choose a pillow that's not much thicker than the distance from the tip of your shoulder to your ear. Pillows that are too thick cause too much lateral bend in the neck.
   • Consider buying a special orthopedic pillow for your neck - designed to mold the normal curves of your neck and prevent irritation or tension in your sleep.

Part 2 of 2: Seeking treatment for neck pain

1. Take a neck massage. As noted above, almost all neck injuries involve the muscles to some degree, so addressing the tight or cramped muscles is a sensible strategy for neck pain relief. A deep tissue massage is useful for mild to moderate strains as it reduces muscle cramps, fights inflammation and supports relaxation. Start with a 30-minute massage, focusing on your neck, top shoulder, and bottom of your skull. Let the therapist go as deep as you can handle without flinching.
   • Always drink plenty of water right after a deep tissue massage to flush out inflammatory byproducts and lactic acid from your body. Failure to do so can cause headaches or mild nausea.
   • A single massage can greatly relieve acute neck pain, depending on the cause and severity, but sometimes several sessions are required. Chronic neck pain may require longer durations (one hour) and multiple massages (three times a week) every day circle of chronicity to break through and evoke healing.
2. See a chiropractor or osteopath. Chiropractors and osteopaths are spinal specialists who focus on achieving normal movement and function within the small facet joints that join the vertebrae of the spine. They will examine your neck and try to determine the cause of your pain, whether it is more muscle related or more joint related. Manual manipulation of joints, also called spinal adjustment, can be used to unblock or reposition facet joints if they are slightly stuck or crooked, causing inflammation and sharp pain (especially with movement).
   • Chiropractors and osteopaths often take neck X-rays to understand you better and make sure spinal adjustments are appropriate and safe.
   • While a single adjustment can sometimes completely relieve your neck problem, it will more likely take you three to five treatments to get clear results. Your health insurance may not cover the chiropractor, so check your policy.
   • Chiropractors and osteopaths also use a number of therapies that focus on muscle strain, which may be more applicable to your neck problem.
3. Request a referral for physiotherapy. If your neck pain is recurring (chronic), caused by weak spinal muscles, poor posture, or degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis, then you should consider some form of spinal rehabilitation. A physical therapist can give you specific and tailored stretches and strengthening exercises for your neck, which is especially important when you are recovering from serious injuries such as severe whiplash from car accidents. Spinal rehabilitation physiotherapy is usually required two to three times a week for four to eight weeks to have a positive effect on chronic or severe neck problems.
   • In addition to strengthening and stretching exercises, physical therapists can also use devices to treat your neck pain, such as electronic muscle stimulation (EMS), therapeutic ultrasound, and / or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).
   • Good neck strengthening exercises include swimming, rowing, and back extensions, but first make sure your pain is under control.
4. Try trigger point therapy. Your muscle pain may be caused by a tight knot in your muscles that you cannot relax, or a "trigger point." This is especially the case with chronic neck conditions. The trigger point will feel hard and tight, like a rope or a knot. To reduce this pain you need to find a specialist in trigger point therapy. Otherwise, you can try some simple treatments at home.
   • A trigger point therapist can be a massage therapist, a physical therapist, a chiropractor, or even a physician.
   • To treat a trigger point yourself, try lying on your back on a mat on the floor. Grab a tennis ball and place it under your back, placing it under the trigger point. Use your own weight to put pressure on the trigger point. If this is too painful, you are using too much pressure. The feeling while working the knot should be strong and satisfying; you could describe it as pleasantly hurt.
5. Try acupuncture. Acupuncture involves inserting very thin needles into specific energy points in the skin with the aim of reducing pain and inflammation. Acupuncture for neck pain can be effective, especially when done when your acute symptoms first appear. Based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture works by calling your body to release various substances, such as endorphins and serotonin, that help reduce pain. Acupuncture has a strong safety record and is relatively affordable, so it's worth a shot for your neck pain if other treatments aren't working.
   • There is mixed scientific evidence that acupuncture helps reduce chronic neck and back pain, but there are many stories indicating that it is a reasonable treatment option.
   • Keep in mind that the acupuncture points used to relieve your neck pain may not be in or near your neck - some points may be in completely different parts of the body.
   • Acupuncture is currently performed by a variety of health professionals, including some doctors, chiropractors, physiotherapists and massage therapists - but whoever you choose must be a member of a professional group.
6. Talk to a doctor about more intrusive options. If your neck pain does not respond to home remedies or other more conservative (alternative) therapies, talk to your doctor about more severe treatments, such as corticosteroid injections and / or surgery options. An injection of corticosteroids into an inflamed neck joint, muscle, or tendon can quickly reduce inflammation and pain, and allow for a greater range of movement and function. However, steroid injections should not be given more than a few times a year due to side effects such as weakening of muscles / tendons and impaired immune function. Neck surgery should only be considered as a last resort, although it is of course necessary for fractures and dislocations caused by either trauma or osteoporosis (fragile bones due to lack of minerals). Other neck disorders that often warrant surgery are intervertebral disc herniation (hernia), severe inflammatory arthritis and bone infection (osteomyelitis).
   • Your doctor may order X-rays, CT scans, MRI, diagnostic ultrasounds, or a nerve conduction exam to better understand the cause and severity of your neck pain.
   • If surgery is required, your doctor will refer you to an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in spinal conditions.

Tips

• When standing and sitting, make sure your head is straight above your shoulders and your top back straight.
• Adjust your desk, chair and / or computer so that the monitor is at eye level.
• Avoid clamping the phone between your ear and shoulder while you talk - use a headset or speakerphone instead.
• Quit smoking as it impairs blood flow, resulting in a lack of oxygen and nutrients to spinal muscles and other tissues - smoking puts you more at risk for neck pain.
• When driving, make sure your headrest is up and close to your head. This prevents your head from popping out if you are involved in a rear-end collision, which can cause a painful whiplash injury.

Warning

• If your neck pain is severe and comes on quickly with no apparent trauma, and is also causing a severe headache, high fever, confusion, and nausea, seek immediate medical attention as you may have a spinal infection such as meningitis.