Neck pain is one of the most common forms of pain complained by humans. It is estimated that 1 out of 3 people will experience neck pain once a year. This makes neck pain as one of the pain sensations that is surely to be felt by anyone for at least once in their life. It is no surprise there are so many inventions and medications available in the market that have been developed to help people cope with the pain and provide some sort of relief. Neck pain can be quite bothersome as it could actually compromise a person’s ability to manage their daily life activities.
Neck pain in general is harmless and often goes away on its own as time goes by. It is actually a pain in the neck (read this as idiom) as it usually comes again and not necessarily be gone forever. This is especially true after a person is involved with intensive sports or after work. Neck pain may last for a few weeks, typically in one or two. As a person ages, they become riskier to get neck pain. Neck pain can be caused by a plethora of reasons ranging from trauma such as in accidents to spine and muscle problems. This includes muscle spasm, misalignment of the neck muscle and spine due to bad postures, wear or tear on the cervical spine such as the cervical spondylosis and the narrowing of vertebral canal called cervical stenosis.
Since we all know how annoying neck pain can be, getting a relief to help with the pain can do wonders and even brighten up our day. It is understandable that with so many home remedies and tools claimed to help with the pain, it greatly costs us misery and is pretty much confusing due to overwhelming suggestions available. Fret not, here are some ways that has been proven to provide relief to the pain in your neck:
1- Use hot or cold compresses by placing cold packs or warm packs to the neck. Choose which suits most. Alternating heat and cold is totally fine. Do this for 15 minutes every few hours. Never place ice directly on the skin and never place really hot objects uncovered to the skin as it can greatly cause skin damages.
2- Get yourself medication such as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or paracetamol and take as directed by doctors or as stated on the product’s label.
3- Try to move your head gently in all directions as the constant head movement helps to speed up healing the pain. Never wear a neck collar unless instructed by health professionals.
4- Gently massage the painful area.
5- Use a low and firm pillow. Investing in a good mattress can help to avoid misalignment of your neck and shoulder which is responsible for neck pain.
6- Make sure the neck is in a good position by practising good sitting posture.
By following the above advice, hopefully the neck pain disappears soon and is not coming back. After the pain has gone, it is advisable to do exercise to improve the neck’s flexibility, strength and stability. Even though neck pain can be relieved by the ways above, it is worth noting that if the pain does not go away, persists or worsens after exercise, do seek medical advice soon. If the neck pain happens after an accident such as vehicle accidents, flu-like symptoms associated with stiff neck, difficulty moving the head, abnormal sensation of the limb such as tingling, sudden paralysis of limb or fingers and sudden loss bladder or bowel control, a person is advised to get prompt urgent medical care as this could be a sign of an impending doom of medical condition.
