Effective Ways to Manage Neck Pain in Between Chiropractic Visits
A significant proportion of people who visit chiropractors for neck adjustments often experience neck pain in between clinic visits. Such pain can be quite uncomfortable and sometimes it can affect your performance. Since it may be impossible to go to a chiropractic clinic every time you have an episode of neck pain, it is crucial to find ways to relieve the pain before your next appointment. Here are some of the effective measures you can take to achieve this.
Avoid pain aggravating activities
Some activities can aggravate your neck pain and even cause the area to become inflamed and sore. Monitor your daily activities, identify those that strain your neck and avoid them. Activities that involve prolonged bending, such as gardening, and sports such as golf, tennis and football cause neck pain and tension in some individuals. Avoid such activities and practice good posture to remedy your neck.
Heat or cold therapy
Heat and cold therapy are the most effective ways to relieve neck pain. It reduces inflammation and soothes stiff muscles around the neck. Hold a hot or cold compress to the painful area for as long as you feel comfortable, maybe a few minutes to an hour. You can try both hot and cold compresses to feel the one that works best for you. Ensure that you use a cloth or towel between your skin and the compress to avoid injuring your skin.
Stretching exercises
A few minutes of exercise every day can do wonders to relieve the pain around your neck. Head exercises such as moving your head in a circle in the clockwise and anticlockwise direction can help soothe and relax the neck muscles. Another exercise you can try is moving your neck from side to side then up and down. If your neck is sore, you may feel some discomfort at first, but it should get better as you exercise. However, if the pain becomes unbearable, you should stop the exercises to avoid inflicting more injury.
Correct posture
Poor posture when sitting, walking and sleeping can aggravate neck pain and cause stiffness. Even sitting at your desk in the office for too long can make your neck pain worse. Learn to walk straight and sit in an upright position every time. Also, avoid using very stiff pillows when sleeping as they can strain your neck.
Neck pain can be uncomfortable and knowing how to deal with it can make the period between your chiropractic visits bearable. If you try these remedies and still experience unbearable neck pain, talk to your chiropractor about getting more visits or a different treatment approach.