Fix Your Neck With These Natural Neck Pain Treatment Remedies
Article by Peter Alexis
Neck pain is a frequent problem that affects approximately sixty percent of adults at sometime of their lives. There are various forms of neck pain treatment, the best treatment for you will depend on the causative factor of your neck pain and how bad it is. Normal neck pain treatment involves a combination of medication, specific exercises and workplace ergonomics.
The scientific evidence to support neck pain treatment is fairly limited. And do not expect your doctor to be too helpful in being able to advise about anything other than drugs for your neck pain. They are trained in medicine and that is what they do. So it is not their job to be knowledgeable about all the other non-drug treatments available.
If you have suffered a neck injury and are experiencing severe neck pain, this is a potential situation that requires further medication attention. Some symptoms that may indicate need for further medical assistance can include but are not limited to: numbness, weakness, shooting pains or tingling in the arms or legs. Symptoms such as these may get worse very quickly or start very suddenly, so you should see further medical attention.
The advice of prolonged bed rest as neck pain treatment is outdated. It can actually be detrimental in the fact that it can quickly lead to detrained muscles. It is now advocated to limit bed rest to one to two days after the onset of pain. Unless you have a pinched nerve or nerve root compression, a fractured bone or disc injury in the neck this rule should be adhered to.
Keeping mobility in the neck region is key. Even though it is tempting to immobilize it because some movements may be uncomfortable. If you are working and doing desk or computer work, frequent breaks are a necessity. You should have a break every 20 minutes and at least get up from your desk and move around. However, you still should try and avoid quick movements of the head, positions that you know will hurt or activities you think may be related to causing the pain in the first place.
In the short term neck pain treatment for neck pain resulting from a small whiplash injury, may benefit from the application of a cold pack. Cold packs can be good for decreasing inflammation and swelling post injury and can help to dull the pain. However, some people just do not like using cold packs, if you are one of these people don’t use them. Some people may also find the neck area overly sensitive to the cold. After 24-48 hours the application of heat can help to relax tense or stiff muscles and ease movement.
If you have suffered a neck injury or are suffering from chronic neck pain (longer than 3 months) then you may benefit from specific neck exercises as part of neck pain treatment. Also if your neck pain has slowly developed with no obvious single event causing it but you do a lot of desk work or computer work, you might also be a candidate. Exercises that focus on posture and core strength will be the most beneficial. Addressing your workstation ergonomics is a key aspect. Usually it can be the simple everyday things, that if done incorrectly at first will not cause a problem but eventually do. The height of your computer monitor is key. The middle of the screen should be eye level, at least try to have the top of your screen eye level. If you are working a lot on a laptop, get a laptop stand. Make sure your monitor is positioned in front of you. And frequent breaks are very important to rest and reset the neck muscles. A simple change like this can be the best neck pain treatment.
About the Author
For more expert advice on neck pain treatment, visit author Peter Alexis’ website which is all about pain treatment such as the most effective sciatic nerve pain treatment. Peter AlexisMedical Researcher, Health Practitioner and Pain Management Specialist