If you are experiencing persistent neck and back pain, it’s crucial to seek the help of a pain specialist at the earliest. However, while a long-term solution is key, your immediate concern is probably finding relief. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ve compiled a list of simple yet effective remedies that can relieve neck and back pain.
Like everyone else, you wouldn’t enjoy waking up with body pain, especially when there’s an important matter you need to attend to for the day. Among the many body parts where you can feel body pain, the most frustrating has to be the neck and back because it can limit your movement. You are unable to turn and move your head and body comfortably and painlessly throughout the entire day. You would want to treat such discomfort immediately and prevent yourself from having the same thing in the future.
If you’re experiencing neck and back pain, the first thing on your mind is finding relief. To help you out, this article lists below easy remedies for neck and back pain:
- Apply Ice, Then Heat
Once you feel neck and back pain, you can quickly alleviate the sensation by applying ice to these areas for at least 48 hours and switching to a warm compress the following day. A cold compress helps lower the blood flow, which reduces inflammation in the area. However, after 48 hours, the cold compress will no longer work on your body because it has reached its limit. So you need to shift to warm compress so as to increase your blood flow and relax your body’s muscle spasms. This would work well if you’re experiencing neck and back pain for days.
- Consider Using OTC Pain Relievers
A simple thing to do to free yourself from experiencing neck and body pain is using over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. However, this shouldn’t be your go-to option every time you feel any pain because this can harm your kidneys while making your body immune to the pain relievers, so they eventually lose their effectiveness. However, if the pain is starting to become uncomfortable or you need to get things done quickly, taking an OTC pain reliever should be an acceptable option. If the pain is getting too intense, then you should visit a doctor immediately.
- Get A Gentle Massage
If you have enough time on your hands, you might want to consider getting a gentle massage. There are plenty of massages that focus on the neck and back, providing instant relief. A massage is a great way to unwind while allowing yourself to move better, as it can help relieve any tension on your neck and back. In most cases, a neck and back massage can only go from 20 to 30 minutes, making it a great opportunity to maximize your lunch breaks. Alternatively, you can use a neck or back massager to make things more convenient.
- Limit Physical Activities
You should limit doing any physical activities involving your neck and back. This includes doing exercises, such as pushups and lifts, as they can cause additional pain to your body. You should also stop adding more pressure to your neck by avoiding wearing any heavy straps that go over it. While you can do some light stretches, being too intense with how your neck and back move is not advisable.
Prevention Is Better Than Cure
This article also shares five tips to prevent neck and back pain as well.
- Switch To An Adjustable Bed
If you’re noticing that you only develop neck and back pain as soon as you wake up, it’s a clear sign that you need to replace your bed with something more friendly for your body. You develop back and neck pain when you’re not in a proper sleep position. While using plenty of pillows would help, they might lose their effects as soon as you wake up since they can get messed up due to frequent changes in sleep position. To help you keep a good sleep position, you should switch to an adjustable bed.
With an adjustable bed, you can lift your upper and lower body, allowing proper sleep position and angle. Switching to an electric adjustable bed can provide more convenience as you can easily lay your body on the bed and let yourself adjust to the proper angle without getting on and off your bed.
- Practice Good Posture
Proper posture plays an important role in how your neck and back feel at the end of the day. If you notice that you usually find yourself in an odd position, such as slouching or leaning on the wall with your head, then you’ll most likely experience pain after a few minutes. This can also happen when you sleep in a sitting position and don’t use a neck pillow to support your head.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ve compiled a list of simple yet effective remedies that can relieve neck and back pain. Even if it might be slightly uncomfortable and maybe a bit painful at first, you should practice proper posture throughout the entire day.
- Hold Your Phone Properly
When you’re currently engaged in a call, and you’re busy that you need to use both hands, it might be tempting to squish your phone between your ears and shoulder so you can continue your conversation even if your hands are occupied. While it helps get things done, this’ll cause more pain to your neck and back. In this scenario, you can choose to put them on speaker or ask them to call at a more convenient time. Doing either helps reduce strain from your neck.
- Regularly Change Your Position
If you spend your entire day in the same position, such as in front of your computers, you need to regularly change your position as it might cause strain on your body. If possible, it’ll be helpful if you could stand up every 20 minutes for at least 20 seconds just to do some light stretches. You can take a short walk around the room or move your body lightly. This should help to refresh your body and move your muscles and joints, preventing any strains and pains.
- Stretch Neck And Back Regularly
During the day, it’s important that you stretch your neck and back regularly. You can do plenty of neck and back exercises without occupying too much space. You can even do them while you’re sitting in your office chair. Stretching your neck and back allows you to relax your muscles and prevents them from getting stiff. Muscle stiffness can develop into a more uncomfortable sensation for you, so you would want to prevent it from happening. Moreover, it can alleviate spine problems and keep you in the best shape.
Takeaway
Experiencing neck and back pain can be uncomfortable for everyone. Luckily, there are plenty of easy remedies you can try in the comfort of your own home. Of course, identifying what you need to do to prevent the pain from worsening will allow for a quicker recovery. Small changes in your everyday life, like stretching and practicing good posture, can bring so many benefits.
