It is possible for neck pain to occur anywhere from the top of the shoulders to the bottom of the head. You could experience limited head and neck movement or pain that spreads to your arms or upper back. Those who take prescription meds or receive medical treatment for neck pain may find that home treatments for neck pain could help speed up the healing process. However, it’s recommended to you consult your physician before starting any home treatment for your neck pain. For chronic pain, it is possible to use the same treatment for neck pain as listed below, except treatments for bringing down the swelling.
For acute neck pain, you can apply ice packs to the area of pain for 24 – 48 hours. Cold treatments help reduce swelling and muscle spasms, and provide pain relief. In the event you don’t have any ice packs, use a plastic bag and fill it with ice. Then wrap a pillowcase around the “ice bag”. Another way to create the “ice bag” effect is to use frozen vegetables that are wrapped in a bath towel. Don’t leave the ice packs on the target areas of your neck pain for a long period of time … you want to avoid getting frostbite or any skin damage!
You should avoid any situation that could promote swelling, such as heat, right after your neck injury. Also avoid beer and other alcoholic drinks, and take warm but not too hot showers. It is recommended that you do this for several days. Within 48 to 72 hours after the neck injury, the swelling usually goes down. At that time, you can apply heat using a heating pad, such as from The Healthy Back Institute. Some experts recommend alternating the treatment of cold and heat on your neck pain, from from icing your neck and using a heating pad.
If the area of your neck pain is not too sensitive to touch or a gentle rub, it is recommended that you gently massage that area to encourage blood flow to it. This increased blood flow to that area will help the healing process by sending the necessary nutrients to it. And moreover, it will help remove the scarred tissues out of your system more rapidly. Bottom line, it will speed up the healing process and provide relief from your neck pain.
To reduce inflammation and relieve pain, there are several over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers, such as aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Reye’s syndrome is a potential danger, especially giving aspirin to anyone 19 years old and younger. So it might be a good idea to avoid giving aspirin to individuals in the age range. However, to be on the safe side, there are all-natural pain killers as as well as rubs you can use for the pain. One place to look for such items is at The Healthy Back Institute.
If you include neck stretching as well as strengthening routines during the week, it will help you avoid a stiff neck and keep it flexible but strong. This will definitely help prevent further injury to your neck or future neck injuries. Another advantage to this treatment is that it can help with the healing process for both acute or chronic neck pain. And finally, if at all possible, try to modify or avoid any activity that aggravates your neck pain.
