Chiropractic Health & Wellness Blog
How to Deal With Neck Pain Between Chiropractic Visits
March 21, 2016
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How to Deal With Neck Pain Between Chiropractic Visits
If there’s one concern that we hear a lot from our Minneapolis chiropractic patients it is how to effectively deal with pain in and around the neck area.
Sadly, this type of issue is prevalent for a number of people as one survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that, after back pain and headaches or migraines, neck pain was the third most common type of chronic pain reported. So how can you deal with this issue effectively (between chiropractic visits), if this is a concern for you?
For starters, you want to limit the activities that aggravate your neck pain, making it worse and causing the area to become even more inflamed. This doesn’t mean doing nothing as that can actually hurt more than help. It just means slowing down a bit and doing less of those activities until your neck starts to feel better.
Depending on the cause and extent of your injury, light stretching to the muscles and soft tissues in and around the neck area can sometimes help reduce the pain as well. Two to try include a corner stretch and the levator scapula stretch. (Click here to see how to do each of these.)
Additionally, when you’re able, you might want to apply a cold or hot compress to your neck to help reduce swelling, relax any stiffness, and lessen the pain. Leave it on for 20 minutes and then remove it for a minimum of 40 minutes before reapplying. And never put the hot or cold source directly against your skin; buffer with a towel instead to prevent any type of external damage that could further instigate your pain.
Finally, if you have less-than-stellar posture which could be contributing to your sorer than normal neck, simply sitting, walking, and standing straighter can oftentimes help. This means paying attention to your spine no matter what you’re doing, making any necessary adjustments if you notice that you’re slumping forward or otherwise leaning.
Neck pain may be common, but that doesn’t mean that you have to just accept it. Here at Lyn Lake Chiropractic, our number one goal is to help our Minneapolis patients become and stay pain-free. If you want that for yourself too, then call our office and schedule your appointment today! Minneapolis Chiropractic at 612-879-8000
If there’s one concern that we hear a lot from our Minneapolis chiropractic patients it is how to effectively deal with pain in and around the neck area.
Sadly, this type of issue is prevalent for a number of people as one survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that, after back pain and headaches or migraines, neck pain was the third most common type of chronic pain reported. So how can you deal with this issue effectively (between chiropractic visits), if this is a concern for you?
For starters, you want to limit the activities that aggravate your neck pain, making it worse and causing the area to become even more inflamed. This doesn’t mean doing nothing as that can actually hurt more than help. It just means slowing down a bit and doing less of those activities until your neck starts to feel better.
Depending on the cause and extent of your injury, light stretching to the muscles and soft tissues in and around the neck area can sometimes help reduce the pain as well. Two to try include a corner stretch and the levator scapula stretch. (Click here to see how to do each of these.)
Additionally, when you’re able, you might want to apply a cold or hot compress to your neck to help reduce swelling, relax any stiffness, and lessen the pain. Leave it on for 20 minutes and then remove it for a minimum of 40 minutes before reapplying. And never put the hot or cold source directly against your skin; buffer with a towel instead to prevent any type of external damage that could further instigate your pain.
Finally, if you have less-than-stellar posture which could be contributing to your sorer than normal neck, simply sitting, walking, and standing straighter can oftentimes help. This means paying attention to your spine no matter what you’re doing, making any necessary adjustments if you notice that you’re slumping forward or otherwise leaning.
Neck pain may be common, but that doesn’t mean that you have to just accept it. Here at Lyn Lake Chiropractic, our number one goal is to help our Minneapolis patients become and stay pain-free. If you want that for yourself too, then call our office and schedule your appointment today! Minneapolis Chiropractic at 612-879-8000