Whether you slept in an awkward position, or you tweaked your neck during some form of physical activity, neck pain can either be temporarily irritating or a red flag of a much larger issue. Either way, it’s literally a pain in the neck.
Depending on the intensity of your pain, you may choose to treat your neck at home before you consider seeing a doctor of chiropractic or another medical specialist. While booking a consultation with Motion4Life is always the best option to preserve your health and safety, it isn’t everyone’s first method of treatment.
With that being said, here are a few neck pain treatment suggestions for you:
Perform Stretches and Maintain Movement
If you have a stiff neck, staying still isn’t going to loosen it up. Simple stretches and movement keep the body loose and allow blood to flow from your head to your toes. While we don’t suggest maintaining your regular workout routine, walks and stretches are terrific treatments for temporary neck pain.
Try the following if your neck is feeling uncomfortable:
- Roll your shoulders backwards and down for 20 seconds.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together (10 times).
- Hold your hands behind your head, and push your head backwards and hold for 30 seconds.
- Bring your ear to your shoulder and hold for 30 seconds (or as long as you can without feeling pain). If you feel pain, stop and consider booking a consultation with Motion4Life.
Consider Over-The-Counter Topical Analgesic, Ice and/or Heat
Think about using over-the-counter pain medications like Biofreeze for the relief of muscle and neck pain. In some cases, these will only give you temporary relief, so for more effective pain management, you should consult a medical professional such as a chiropractor.
Sit For As Little As Possible
In the past, we’ve talked about the consequences of sitting down all day (which you can read about here) and how desk jobs are having harmful effects on our neck. So it goes without saying, avoid sitting for extended periods of time. If you have to, find the right chair, and get up and move as much as possible!
Choose the Right Mattress
Your mattress could be responsible for that nasty neck pain that you’re feeling. In that case, it’s time to think about what position you’re sleeping in and what mattress you’re sleeping on.
Find out what to look for when buying a mattress here.
Whether these neck pain treatments were effective or not, you should find out if they’re a result of a greater problem. Book a consultation with Motion4Life today, and we will diagnose the severity of the injury, provide professional treatment, and make sure your neck pain isn’t a result of a larger issue.