Neck injury symptoms that indicate you should immediately seek medical attention include: severe neck pain that gets progressively worse, muscle weakness and/or loss of sensation in your arms, throbbing headache, blurry vision, loss of balance and/or nausea. [4] X Research source Resting your stiff or painful neck is a good idea, but completely immobilizing it in a neck collar or brace is not recommended for most injuries — it promotes weak muscles and less mobile joints. At least some gentle neck movement is needed to encourage blood flow and stimulate healing. If your neck pain is exercise-related, you may be working out too aggressively or with bad form — talk to a personal trainer.
Compressing the ice (heat aswell)against your neck with a stretchy bandage or elastic wrap will also help combat inflammation, but be careful not to completely cut off circulation. Wrap frozen items in a thin towel in order to prevent skin irritation or frostbite on your neck. Acute pain typically lasts for less than a few weeks, but can transition into chronic pain if it lingers for a few months or longer. Keep in mind that cold therapy may not be appropriate for chronic (long-term) neck pain that doesn’t involve much inflammation — applying moist heat may provide more relief.
As an alternative, soak your chronically sore neck and shoulders in a hot Epsom salt bath 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. [7] X Research source Applying some form of moist heat to your neck just prior to performing stretches (see below) is a good idea in most instances because it will make the muscles more pliable and less likely to become more strained.
Alternatively, if your neck is more stiff then inflamed, you can try over-the-counter analgesics such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), which is much easier on your stomach, but can negatively impact your liver. If muscle spasm or guarding is a major element of your neck pain (common with whiplash injuries), then consider taking muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine, but never take them concurrently with NSAIDs. Check whether muscle relaxants are available over-the-counter where you live. As a general guideline, achy pain is usually indicative of a muscle pull or tightness, whereas sharp pain with movement is often caused by joint / ligament injuries.
Good mobilizations to start with include shoulder rolls and circular movements with your head. Then progress to neck rotations (looking side to side) and flexion / extensions (looking up and down). Spend a few minutes on each set of movements. Once your neck is warmed up, start stretching by laterally flexing your neck and head, — trying to bring your ear closer to your shoulder. Do both sides. Then flex your neck forward (chin to chest) and slightly rotate it to the side until you’re staring down at your foot. Switch and do the other side. Hold all neck stretches for about 30 seconds per side while deeply breathing and do them three to five times daily until the pain diminishes. [12] X Expert Source Mayami OyanagiPhysical Therapist Expert Interview. 27 January 2021. Always stretch or move your neck within pain tolerance. If you stretch your neck and feel pain, gradually bring your neck back to where you don’t feel any pain. Do not stretch beyond that point. Over time, your range of pain-free motion will gradually increase.
While on your back, don’t prop your head up with more than one pillow as the increased neck flexion can lead to pain. [14] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source While on your side, choose a pillow that isn’t much thicker than the distance from the tip of your shoulder to your ear. Pillows that are too thick cause too much lateral flexion in the neck. Consider buying a special orthopedic pillow for your neck — they are designed to support the normal curves of your neck and prevent any irritation or strain / sprain while you sleep.
Always drink lots of water right after a deep tissue massage in order to flush out inflammatory by-products and lactic acid from your body. Not doing so might trigger a headache or mild nausea. A single massage may greatly relieve acute neck pain, depending on its cause and degree of seriousness, but sometimes a few more sessions are required. For chronic neck pain, longer-duration (one hour) and more frequent massages (three times per week) may be needed to “break the cycle of chronicity” and trigger healing.
Chiropractors and osteopaths often take neck x-rays to better understand your condition and to make sure a spinal adjustment is appropriate and safe. Although a single adjustment can sometimes completely relieve neck pain, more than likely it will take three to five treatments to notice significant results. Your health insurance may not cover chiropractic care, so check your policy. Chiropractors and osteopaths use a variety of other therapies tailored more towards muscle strains, which may be more appropriate for your neck issue.
In addition to strengthening exercises and stretches, physiotherapists 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 strengthening exercises for your neck include swimming, rowing and abdominal crunches, but make sure your pain is under control first.
A trigger point therapist may be a massage therapist, physical therapist, chiropractor and even a physician. To treat a trigger point yourself, try laying down on your back on a mat on the floor. Take a tennis ball and place it under your back, positioning it beneath the trigger point. Use your own weight to apply pressure to the trigger point. If this is too painful, you are using too much pressure. The feeling as you work out the knot should be strong and satisfying[20] X Research source ; you might describe it as “hurting so good. "
There is mixed scientific evidence that acupuncture is helpful in relieving chronic neck and back pain, but there’s numerous anecdotal reports that suggest it can be a viable treatment option. [22] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Keep in mind that the acupuncture points used to reduce your neck pain may not be located in or near the neck — some points can be in distant areas of the body. Acupuncture is now practiced by a variety of healthcare professionals including some physicians, chiropractors, physiotherapists and massage therapists — but whoever you choose should be certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
Your doctor may take x-rays, CT scans, MRI, diagnostic ultrasound or a nerve conductance study to better understand the cause and seriousness of your neck pain. If surgery is indicated, your family doctor will refer your to an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in spinal pathology.
