5. How Do I Relieve My Back or Neck Pain?
Home remedies
Most pain in the back or the neck is due to muscular irritation, and can be treated with stretching, exercises, and over-the-counter medications. It is important to be patient, stay active, and do your exercises every day. You may find the pain is much better when you do your exercises, and gets worse when you do not. This reemphasizes the importance of regular activity and exercise. Also, you can minimize your risk of reinjury by paying attention to proper lifting techniques.
Here are a few rules of thumb for treating your neck or back pain at home:
- Ice vs. Heat Packs
Typically angry muscles prefer colder temperatures right after an injury, and more chronic muscular pain responds better to heat. However, there is no danger in trying both methods or alternating at any point in time. Be careful not to fall asleep on the heating or cooling pad, because you may seriously injure your skin.
- Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen, Alleve, or Tylenol can be taken in symptomatic or therapeutic doses. Please be sure to contact your general doctor if you had problems with stomach ulcers, or kidney/liver problems in the past, as these medications may become dangerous, even at safer doses. Also, be careful not to take Tylenol in addition to other medications that contain Acetominophen (Tylenol) such as Norco, Vicodin, or Darvocet.
- Rest
When you have significant pain, short periods of rest are a good idea. It is important to remember that every day you do not use your core muscles while lying down, they become weaker. It will take added time to recover the strength you lose if you rest too much.
- Stay Active
It is always safe to walk. Your body releases natural pain medications when you walk, and the increased blood flow is good for maintaining strength, and improving muscular pain.