Do you suffer from chronic or acute neck pain? You are not alone. Neck pain, known as cervicalgia, is a pain that surrounds the spine underneath the head.
Neck pain can happen due to injury or constant sitting in a bad posture. Or it may be a symptom of a medical condition. Neck pain may be axial, meaning you feel it only in your neck. Or it can be radicular, which you feel in other parts, like the arms and shoulders.
People who constantly use their phones or laptops will suffer from severe neck pain. Thankfully, most cases are not severe, and you can get relief. For chronic pain, going to a physiotherapist and taking a few measurements can help. Let’s see the best ways to treat neck pain and get relief.
Causes of neck pain
Muscle strain and tension can lead to neck pain. It happens due to bad posture, working at a desk for long periods without changing positions, or sleeping in a bad position. Also, jerking the neck while working out leads to neck pain.
- An injury due to an accident while playing or working out can lead to neck pain.
- Meningitis is the inflammation of thin tissues surrounding the spinal cord and brain. Other than neck pain, symptoms include a stiff neck, headache, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and fever.
- Mental stress also leads to neck stiffness and pain.
- Other causes include spinal stenosis, aging, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, herniated discs, and fibromyalgia.
Treating neck pain
Taking muscle relaxers and pain medication
For acute neck pain due to improper posture or muscle strain, taking painkillers like ibuprofen works well.
For others, taking NSAIDs is an option. It can help relieve pain in many instances. It is also the first line of treatment for most neck pain issues.
Ice and heat therapy
If you feel neck pain after waking up or working out, use this option. Using ice therapy reduces inflammation and swelling. Thus, it relieves pain.
Heat therapy helps loosen the muscles, ensuring blood flows again. Alternating between these two can help with neck pain. You can use an ice pack or a heating pad or even take hot and cold baths or showers.
Take physical therapy.
Physical therapy is one of the best ways to relieve neck pain. They can help relieve the pressure in your neck and reduce pain without surgery or excess pain medicines. They provide you with movements and exercises to strengthen the tendons and muscles of the neck. It helps with flexibility and releases pain.
It will take time, and you will need to continue the therapy for the best results. A physical therapist in your location with the best reviews is the way to go.
Darlinghurst Physio, for instance, is perfect for local people as it saves time and provides instant relief.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Did you know depression, anxiety, and mental health issues can also lead to neck pain? It is a silent symptom that causes severe pain.
If all your reports, MRIs, and other scans show no reason for pain, it might be psycho-sympathetic. In this scenario, working with a mental health expert or therapist can help. They can figure out the reason and help you cope with the pain and relieve it.
Get a massage.
A gentle neck massage stimulates blood flow, helping to release pain. But before you go for neck pain, ask your doctor if massaging will help or worsen the pain.
Gentle exercises
Gentle neck exercises and yoga postures for neck pain relief can do wonders for your neck pain. It helps improve posture and releases stress, which helps with pain management. Also, perform these under guidance so you do not overexert the neck area.
Try acupuncture
A traditional Chinese holistic approach involves inserting needles and pins in the body part in pain. It triggers your body’s natural response to pain, helping alleviate the pain.
Steroid injections
For people suffering from extreme neck pain, steroid injections can help. Doctors insert them near the nerve root, reducing pain and inflammation.
Surgery
If nothing relieves your chronic pain, surgery is your last option.
Never ignore neck pain, especially after an injury or when you feel it in your arms too. It can signify a serious disease. Get a doctor’s opinion, go for physical therapy, and correct your posture.
