How to Alleviate Neck & Back Pain

Neck and back pain can be the result of injury, disease or normal aging. This type of discomfort can affect your daily activities and even your mood. You might wake up one morning to find that you are stiff and in pain, and the symptoms may be gone in a matter of hours or a day or two. On the other hand, you might deal with neck and back discomfort every single day as a chronic condition. In either situation, there are ways to deal with the pain and to ease your discomfort.

Things You'll Need

• Doctor
• Rest
• Heating pad
• Hot shower or bath
• Medication (possibly)
• Surgery (possibly)

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Instructions

• 1

  Visit a doctor. You need to find out the reason for your neck and back pain. This way you can treat it safely and effectively. You should only try the following steps if your doctor gives his or her permission.

• 2

  Rest. Sometimes neck and back pain flares up as a result of strain or excessive use of muscles. The remedy may be as simple as refraining from strenuous activity and possibly partial or complete bed rest for a day or two.

• 3

  Pay attention to your posture. Habitual poor posture (slumping or remaining in awkward positions for extended periods of time) can lead to neck and back pain.

• 4

  Apply heat to the area. Using a heating pad on a low or medium setting for about 15 minutes at a time can be helpful. Warm or hot showers or baths can help to relieve muscle tension as well.

• 5

  Try an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen or naproxen. These medications help to reduce pain and swelling.

• 6

  Take narcotic pain medication only for a short time and only under your doctor's monitoring. These medications can dramatically reduce pain for short periods (like when you may be awaiting surgery or recovering from a surgical procedure), but they also are highly addictive.

• 7

  Try cortisone injections if your doctor suggests that you do so. These injections also offer temporary pain relief.

• 8

  Consider neck or back surgery if your pain is unbearable and other interventions have failed. Talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of a specific surgery.