Neck pain has a variety of causes. It can be due to arthritis, neck strain, or an injury. Neck pain from a fall or other injury often involves the soft tissues, such as your muscles and ligaments. Here are some neck pain treatments that might help after an injury.
Use Cold And Hot Therapy
Ice packs are often recommended right after an injury since ice keeps swelling down and that can control pain too. Later, you might try using a heating pad or hot water bottle on your neck. The warmth increases circulation, and the increased blood flow can relax muscles and help with healing.
It's important to use caution with cold and hot therapy since you could cause a skin injury and compound your problems. Use the ice pack or heating pad for minutes at a time several times during the day rather than using cold or hot temperatures for an extended time. Short treatments are more gentle on your skin.
Take Physical Therapy Treatments
Your doctor might send you to physical therapy to help your neck pain. A therapist can teach you how to sit, stand, and work at a desk without making your neck pain worse due to bad posture. Plus, the therapist can teach you neck stretches that help prevent muscle stiffness and keep your neck flexible.
You can also take treatments in physical therapy that help with pain and healing, such as massage and ultrasound therapy.
Take Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Your doctor might recommend over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications to keep swelling down so pain is relieved. They might even consider steroids for inflammation or muscle relaxers for muscle spasms. If your pain is severe, the doctor might suggest steroid injections for quick relief.
Balance Rest With Movement
You may need guidance from a physical therapist or doctor about how to rest and exercise your neck. You might need to rest your neck for a short time, but your recovery may be quicker if you keep moving. However, you don't want to strain your neck when it's already injured. Your doctor can help you find the right balance of resting and exercising your neck so you can control pain and speed healing.
Resting your neck may include taking time off from work so your neck can heal. When the soft tissues in your neck are injured, they need time to repair themselves and heal. Healing doesn't happen right away, so you'll want to allow time for your neck to heal fully before you begin strenuous movements that could start the cycle of neck pain all over again.
For more information about neck pain treatments, contact a medical center in your area.
Share6 January 2023
