How To Treat Neck Pain At Home

NECK PAIN

Neck pain is usually caused by wrong posture, stress, or back pain. It is one of the most common health problems as everyone at some point in their lives experiences neck pain which may be mild, moderate or even severe. It is medically known as  cervicalgia and can cause a lot of discomfort. Neck pain can easily be treated at home but in severe cases where the pain is caused by other diseases such as arthritis and cancer or by accident, professional help will be required. Here’s how to treat neck pain at home;

7 PROVEN HOME REMEDIES TO TREAT NECK PAIN

• Massage – gently massage the neck with essential oils for some minutes. Basil, lavender, or peppermint oil can be used alone or combined. Remember to dilute essential oils with carrier oils like olive oil or coconut oil to prevent skin irritation.
• Exercise – exercising the head and neck can help to relieve the tension in the muscles and ease pain. Gently rock the head forward and backward then sideways for a couple of minutes. You can do this exercise up to 5times or more in a day.
• Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) – dilute 1cup ACV in 1cup of water. Soak a light towel in the ACV water and place it on the neck for about an hour. Repeat the process twice or thrice daily.
• Ginger – grate fresh ginger and apply this on the neck, leave for 10-15 minutes then rinse off with warm water. Ginger has anti inflammatory properties that help to relieve pain.
• Epsom Salt soak – fill your bathtub with warm water, add 2 cups of Epsom salt and soak yourself in the tub for about an hour. This also helps to relieve stress in addition to the neck pain.
• Cayenne pepper – make a paste of cayenne pepper by mixing 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Apply this on the neck twice daily. Cayenne pepper has analgesic properties due to its capsaicin content.
• Cold Compress – apply cold compress on the neck for 10minutes. This will help to reduce inflammation and ease the pain. Repeat every 2-3 hours.

TIPS TO PREVENT NECK PAIN

• Good posture: always maintain good posture while sitting or standing.
• weight: avoid carrying heavy weights on the back and/or shoulders as this also puts a strain on the neck.
• Stress: stress is a major cause of neck pain, learn to take a break to relax from time to time.
• exercise: form a habit of exercising the neck regularly to ease tension in the muscles.
• Sleep: your mattress and pillow should not be too soft. while sleeping ensure that your pillow supports your neck properly, your head and shoulder should be at the same level.

if the pain gets worse or you experience other symptoms like stiffness, numbness or tingling of the extremities, and fever then you should see a doctor.