1. Wear a Cervical Collar
Wearing a cervical collar around your neck for a few days, while the symptoms of a pinched nerve are in their acute phase, can help relieve the pain. The collar will support your head to keep the burden of its weight off of your neck, while it limits your neck movements and keeps your vertebrae aligned. When the bulk of your neck's weight and the burdens of constant movement are alleviated by the collar, your neck will start healing. Collars should only be worn for a few days at a time, however, so as to prevent the neck muscles from atrophying, and they should be adjusted to prevent blisters from forming on the skin underneath the collar. Once the worst of the pain is over, the collar can be discarded and you can use other treatments.
2. Sleep With a Cervical Pillow
Cervical pillows go under your neck while you sleep to give your neck curvature and support. This removes the pressure and strain from the area of the pinched nerve, which will give it a chance to heal at night. The inflammation in the area will have a chance to reduce itself naturally, minimizing your daytime pain.
3. Go to Physical Therapy
Physical therapy can be an effective way to treat a pinched nerve. Your physical therapist will use neck traction to stretch the vertebrae in your neck and relieve the compression on the nerve that's causing the irritation. You'll probably also be taught exercises that will strengthen your neck muscles. This will allow them to continue to bear pressure, giving the irritated nerve a reduced workload even after traction therapy has ended. You'll likely be doing these exercises both at home and during physical therapy sessions, which, in most cases, will last 4 to 6 weeks.
