Feeling pain in your neck? It’s not uncommon, but fortunately, many cases of neck pain are only temporary and will go away on their own as long as you don’t do anything to prolong the issue. Neck pain is often causes by inflammation, injury, overuse, or even poor posture. If your neck is hurting, here are a few things you can do to help relieve that pain.
Rest
In many cases, simply resting your neck is enough to make you feel better. You may have turned too quickly, bent your head at an odd angle, or have been starring downwards or upwards for too long. Resting your neck by placing your head in a neutral position for an hour or two should be all it takes. Make sure you’re using a pillow that doesn’t position your head at an awkward angle. If you frequently have a sore neck, you may want to look at a neck pillow that is designed to keep your head, neck, and back in alignment while you sleep.
Make certain you avoid moving your neck in any way that can cause additional pain. Avoid jerking your neck to one side or holding your head in any way that causes additional pain.
Take Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
You may also want to try over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. However, if you have to use these for more than a few days, you need to visit a doctor or chiropractor. It’s not common for neck pain to last that long.
Use Ice, then Heat
Using ice and heat is another proven way of reducing neck pain. Use ice for up to three days, then switch to heat. Again, if you have to use this treatment often or for long periods of time, you’re dealing with something more than a normal sore neck.
Get a Massage
Having someone massage your neck and upper back can also help. However, make certain to stop them if anything feels wrong or hurts more than a sore muscle should.
If your neck continues hurting for more than a few days, if the pain gets worse, or if you have repetitive neck pain, you need to seek out medical attention. The team here at Maximum Orthopedics can help. Contact us today to discuss your case.
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Posted on: Oct 23 2020
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By: admin
A strained or pulled muscle can be painful, especially if you don’t take the time to rest the muscle and allow it to heal. You can pull a muscle whenever you do something that overworks or tears the muscle or tendon. A pulled muscle can happen at any time without any kind of warning. It’s something that can also affect everyone regardless of age, health, or overall level of fitness.
Common Causes of a Pulled Muscle
There are many things that can cause a pulled muscle, Lifting something heavy or lifting something using your back instead of your legs can easily strain a muscle in your back. Failing to warm up or stretching before and after you work out can also put undue strain on a muscle. Having poor posture is another common cause.
Pulled Muscle Symptoms
You may have a pulled muscle if you feel weakness or pain when using that muscle. You may notice swelling, bruising, or some redness around that area, too. Even when you’re resting, the muscle may hurt. In extreme cases, you may even find that it’s hard to use the muscle that has been strained. You may not be able to continue working after pulling a muscle and, in fact, you shouldn’t continue what you were doing because you could strain the muscle even more.
Treating a Pulled Muscle
In many cases, a pulled muscle will heal on its own with some rest, but you can help manage the pain and reduce the time it takes to heal. You can take anti-inflammatory over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen to help with the pain. You can apply ice for 20 minutes per hour to the muscle, too, in order to get the inflammation down. After three days, you can change the ice out for a heating pad. You can wrap the muscle using a compression or elastic band to provide support and reduce swelling, but you do need to be careful. If you wrap it too tight, you’ll reduce circulation. That will affect how quickly the muscle is able to heal.
Do You Need Medical Attention?
If you are in significant pain, are unable to walk, or are experiencing major inflammation, you need to come see us here at Maximum Orthopedics right away. Your strained muscle may be more problematic than normal. Contact us today to make an appointment.
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Posted on: Oct 15 2020
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By: admin
