The Top 5 Ways to Relieve Neck Pain at Home

There are various factors that may be responsible for triggering your neck pain, including certain medical conditions, injuries, and activities that put strain on the neck. The intensity of neck pain varies from moderate to severe and it can have a wide range of effects on the personal, social, and professional performance of sufferers. In addition to the adequate medicine and therapies, there are a number of ways that you can help relieve neck pain at home, without going to the doctor:

1. Apply An Ice Pack – Ice acts like a constringent agent to effectively decrease inflammation and associated pain. Ice has an anesthesia-like effect on pain, which will ultimately lead to the reduction or even the elimination of neck pain. You can use a plastic bag filled with crushed ice and covered in a soft pillow case that is thin enough to effectively transmit cold yet thick enough to protect your skin. Usually, 15 minutes should be sufficient to help to relieve neck pain. Ice is a good remedy for acute pain caused by sudden strain or injury.

2. Apply Heat – Although it has the exact opposite action of the ice, heat can also ameliorate neck pain as it activates the healing process by increasing blood flow. Blood flow brings in white blood cells that start healing the affected tissue. When applied correctly, heat can ease stiffness in the muscles and automatically relieve neck pain. Heat should be applied using a bottle of hot water or a heated towel. You can always iron a towel to heat it up and apply it on the painful area of the neck. Heat therapy is best used for chronic neck pain. A hot shower can have a similar effect as locally applied heat.

3. Local Massage – Another way to help relieve neck pain is through a massage. To make sure a massage eases tense muscles, you need to warm them up with a hot shower first. Using oil or any good lotion to gently rub your neck and shoulders with in a circular motion should work. There are several motions that can relieve neck pain, but you should only apply the simplest in order to reduce further damage.

4. Range-in-Motion Exercises – Although they are probably the most common form of neck exercising, the benefits of range-in-motion exercises are often forgotten or neglected in the shadow of the more complex modern techniques. The objective of the range-in-motion exercises is to stretch the neck muscles and they involve:

1. Turn your head to the left, hold, and return to center
2. Turn your head to the right, hold, and return to center;
3. Drop your head to the chest, relax, and return to center;
4. Tilt your head to the left, hold, and bring your head back to center;
5. Tilt your head to the right, hold, and bring your head back to center;

5. Change Your Sleeping Habits – Sleeping habits are often the culprit of neck pain and unlearning those habits and adapting new good habits will help you relieve neck pain. Apart from acquiring a firm mattress that keeps your head aligned with the spine, you need to forget about pillows that are too thick or too firm or too flat. Also, as much as you may love to sleep on your stomach, you should know that this very simple and pleasurable habit forces your head up straining your neck muscles.

Try these simple techniques at home to help relieve neck pain. If the problem persists it is always best to see a professional who will surely having you feeling back to yourself in no time.