How To Get Instant Neck Pain Relief

Neck pain and stiffness is a regular occurrence for many people — and there are multiple reasons why. While some reasons may be due to poor posture, others can be caused by previous or current injuries.

A stiff neck is typically due to our muscles weakening from poor posture or misuse. This means that we may be looking at our computer too much, resulting in our muscles being overused and tired.

Fortunately, in most cases, neck pain is not a serious condition and can be relieved quickly. However, if neck pain lasts for over a week and is accompanied by other symptoms, you should consult your doctor.

Causes Of Neck Pain

Neck pain can be caused by various reasons

Muscle Tension

If you have poor posture, you will tend to have muscle tension and strain. Some behaviours that cause muscle tension include:

• Poor posture
• Working on a desk for too long with bad posture
• Sleeping in a bad position
• Tensing your neck when exercising

Injury

Your neck is vulnerable to injury, especially during accidents that cause your muscles and ligaments to move out of their normal range.

What Should You Do?

If you suffer from neck pain, you can easily consult a neck pain specialist to help you with your pain. However, if it is mild, rest and self-help measures can be effective for instant neck pain relief.

Instant Relief for Neck Pain

There are some instant relief methods to help with your neck pain. Do note if your pain persists for over a week, you should consult a pain management doctor instead.

Stretching

Proper stretching can help to relieve your neck pain instantly. When working or driving for a long time, remember to take frequent breaks to avoid straining your neck forward. Some stretches you can do are:

• Rolling your shoulder backwards and downwards
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together
• Tilt your head backwards
• Bring your ear to your shoulders

While stretching, you should avoid sudden movements as it may result in more pain and inflammation.

Change Your Sleep Position

As the position which you sleep at night affects your neck, try sleeping on your side or back for less strain on your neck rather than sleeping on your stomach. This is as sleeping on your stomach can cause stiffness as it forces your neck to strain for long periods of time. You can also buy a pillow with proper neck support.

Apply Ice or Heat

You can also apply an ice pack to your neck to reduce inflammation. Applying heat, from taking a shower for example, can help your stiff neck too. Try applying ice or heat a few times a day to see results.

Do remember not to fall asleep with an ice or heat pad to avoid skin injuries

Taking Pain Relievers

Taking over the counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen can also help instantly reduce neck pains. Some pain relievers include:

• Ibuprofen
• Naproxen Sodium
• Acetaminophen

Reduce Stress

As stress can result in tension of your muscles, reducing stress can help to reduce your neck pain. There are different ways to help you reduce stress, including:

• Meditating
• Taking a walk
• Doing something fun

When To See A Doctor

If your neck pain does not subside in a week and starts interfering with your daily activities, you should consult your pain management doctor. Pain in your neck along with other symptoms can also be a sign of a more serious injury too.

Overall Thoughts

A stiff neck is typically minor and can be treated at home with some of these remedies. You can also make small adjustments such as more exercise and a better sleep position to help reduce the possibility of getting a stiff neck. However, if you have other symptoms or unbearable pain, it is advised for you to seek additional help.