A pulled, or strained, neck muscle probably won't need conventional medical care. In most moderate cases, home treatment, exercise and alternative therapies will ease neck pain and return the neck to fully functioning form. Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center recommend self-care to address the immediate symptoms of a neck strain and assist in recovery. But severely pulled muscles in the neck, such as cases related to whiplash or spinal injury, may require prescription medication or surgical repair.
Bed Rest
Removing strain on the neck area is a prerequisite for healing. The first day or two after a strain, home treatment should include bed rest. The Mayo Clinic suggests lying down several times during the day to allow inflammation to subside and cellular repair in the pulled muscle to begin.
Neck Support
Neck pain may recur when patients return to longer periods of sitting. The Mayo Clinic says soft cervical collars are safe to use for neck support for up to two weeks following an injury, after which the pulled muscle must begin to regain strength through use.
Medication
Home treatment during the first few days of neck pain and inflammation can include nonprescription pain relievers, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. These include aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and naproxen.
Temperature Therapy
Cold pack applications keep the pain and swelling of a pulled muscle down in the first day or two after symptoms begin. Thereafter, the Mayo Clinic recommends that the person with the injury alternate heat and cold therapy. Hot showers, heating pads or microwaveable gel packs provide heat for 20 minutes at a time. Ice or chilled gel packs provide cold for 20-minute sessions.
Physical Therapy
As pain and inflammation lessen, the person can begin exercising with neck half-rolls. The American Physical Therapy Association suggests gently dropping the head and then rolling it to the right and back to the left. This exercise can be repeated five to 10 times, relaxing in between each series. Severe neck strain cases should seek referral to a professional physical therapy program.
Massage Therapy
Residual neck pain may linger for four to six weeks, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, which recommends massage treatment. Professional massage therapy can restore healthy circulation to the area and relieve ongoing soreness in some patients.
Chiropractic Treatment
The Cleveland Clinic also recommends chiropractic care for musculoskeletal injury treatment. The sensitive cervical spine and surrounding muscular system may benefit from this integrative technique that can relieve pain and help restore some patients' range of motion.
