Neck Pain Treatments That Could Relieve Pain And Stiffness In Your Neck And Help It Heal

Neck pain can be due to an injury, such as whiplash from a car accident. It can also be caused by sleeping in the wrong position, having bad posture, or working at a computer in a way that's not ergonomic. Whatever its cause, neck pain makes you feel miserable. Talk to a doctor about your neck pain and treatments that may help. The treatments they recommend could depend on what is causing your pain. Here are neck pain treatments you may want to ask your doctor about.

Acupuncture Treatments

Acupuncture treatments might help with neck pain. Ask your doctor if the treatments are right for your condition. These treatments involve placing thin needles in specific points on your body to trigger healing and pain relief. You'll probably need multiple treatments.

Massage Therapy

You might want to get your doctor's approval before having massage therapy on your neck. A relaxing massage might improve blood circulation and release tension. As a result, you might have reduced pain and a quicker recovery.

If you have bad posture, or if the way you work puts strain on your muscles, your muscles could be holding tension and have knots that cause pain when you move. Deep tissue work on the muscles could relieve knots and break up adhesions so your muscles can relax.

Steroid Injections

If your neck pain is severe, your doctor might recommend injections. Corticosteroid injections can reduce inflammation and that helps reduce pain. These may not provide instant relief, but pain relief could come on gradually and have a long-term effect. Lidocaine injections might also be given to provide immediate pain relief.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is often an important neck pain treatment. The stretches you learn help with stiffness and range of motion. The exercises make your muscles stronger so they aren't strained as easily. The physical therapist can also teach you how to have better posture and give you exercises that strengthen muscles that help you maintain good posture while you're walking, sitting, and standing.

Cervical Traction

Cervical traction is a treatment your physical therapist can provide and that they can teach you to do at home. It involves pulling up on your head to create space in the spine along your neck. This can take pressure off of a nerve or release muscle tension so you get relief from pain.

Cervical traction can be done manually by pulling up on your head with your hands or it can be done with a device. If you'll do the treatments at home, the therapist will train you in the proper technique.