When people say something is a pain in the neck, they are acknowledging how neck pain can disrupt your life and make it difficult to function. Fortunately, there are things you can do to soothe neck pain. Knowing get rid of neck pain will ensure you are prepared the next time it happens.
Instructions
1. Exercise. Gentle movement and stretching of your neck can help ease neck pain by loosening up muscle stiffness. Stiff muscles in other parts of your body can also affect your neck. Don't push your body past its boundaries. If movement is painful, consult your physician or chiropractor.
2. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Aspirin and ibuprofen products can be quite effective at relieving neck pain. Both reduce inflammation, which is often associated with neck pain.
3. Apply a topical analgesic like Bengay. The cooling sensation that occurs can be very soothing when you have neck pain.
4. Maintain good posture when sitting and standing, and while at work or when lifting and carrying objects. Bad posture alone can cause neck pain to occur. For optimal function your body requires correct alignment.
5. Buy a new pillow. Your pillow should support the natural contours of your neck. When purchasing a pillow, consider your size and sleeping position. The alignment of your neck should be straight during sleep. Pillows are made in different contours based on sleep position.
6. Massage the muscles supporting your neck. You can do this on your own by putting a tennis ball in a sock and hanging it on the wall. Roll your back against the ball to release muscles that may be pulling on your neck. Or lie on the floor with the ball beneath your back and search for trigger points that release tight muscles, by rolling slowly across the ball. Two balls can be used together on either side of your spine. Do not push directly on the neck or spine, which could injure the vertebrae.
Tags: neck pain, your neck, your body, your back