When both back and neck pain strike, relieving your symptoms comes first. Aching joints and muscles, sprained tendons and bone spurs add up to short- or long-term pain. Calming the inflammation and removing the source of physical stress will ease your discomfort immediately. Secondary pain relief involves protecting your injured muscles and joints as you recover. If your neck and back pain are the result of traumatic injury or bone disease, your self-care program should be supervised by a doctor.
Step 1
Get off of your feet and rest for a few days. The National Institutes of Health advises that you treat back and neck pain resulting from muscle strains, such as those sustained in falls or heavy lifting, with rest. Sit or lie down periodically to take away the stress on muscles in the affected area.
Step 2
Apply cold therapeutic gel packs to alleviate neck and back pain as you rest. The University of Maryland (UM) Medical Center suggests this anti-inflammatory treatment for instant pain relief. You can use cold packs in 20-minute intervals throughout the day.
Step 3
Bolster your back with a lumbar pillow when sitting, recommends the American Chiropractic Association, or place regular pillows on either side of you to keep your posture upright. The UM center agrees that using a doctor-prescribed back or neck brace and a cervical pillow for your neck can relieve back and neck pain.
Step 4
Take prescription or over-the-counter pain relief medication exactly as instructed. The American Pain Society reports that patients find OTC drugs such as naproxen and ibuprofen effective in neutralizing moderate pain.
Step 5
Get active as soon as possible. Back pain and sore necks can be eased out of their painful states with mild range-of-motion exercises, reports the UM center. Start gradually when inflammation calms and pain subsides. Slowly and gently rotate your head and neck in all directions as far as is comfortable. Do similar stretches for back pain while seated, rounding the back and bending forward from the waist.
Tips and Warnings
- Use large gel packs, about 10 inches by 14 inches, for optimum pain relief. They don't have to be in a special Velcro sling; flat packs are best for backs and conform to necks well, especially when you are resting.
- Monitor neck pain and associated pain closely. If numbness or tingling develops in another part of the body, you might have nerve damage and should see a doctor.
Things You'll Need
- Prescription or nonprescription pain-relief medication
- Lumbar and cervical pillows
- Flexible, reusable gel packs
- Back and neck braces
