Living with a pinched nerve in the neck is painful and makes life miserable due to the pain. Moving your neck the wrong way will cause the pain to start. A pinched nerve is brought on by too much pressure to the nerve by the surrounding tissues. The tissues surrounding a nerve become inflamed and swollen by injury, osteoarthritis, poor posture, sports or hobby activities and obesity, according to the Mayo Clinic. A few home remedies are available to alleviate the pain of a pinched nerve.
Rest
Rest is the most common treatment for a pinched nerve, according to the Mayo Clinic. Physicians will recommend you stop any physical activities that aggravate the nerve. It may be necessary to purchase a foam neck brace to wear in order to immobilize the neck so the nerve is not aggravated.
Range of Motion Exercise
Dr. Brandon J. Luskin, an orthopedic surgeon in South Florida, states that simple neck rolls will aid the neck in relaxing, thereby relaxing the muscles surrounding the nerve. A general range of motion exercise releases endorphins, which relieves pain. Relax your shoulders and drop your head forward. Slowly roll your head to the right, continue through the back area moving to the left and dropping your head forward again. Do this exercise several times and at least three to four sets a day. It will be painful at first, but as you roll your neck, your muscles will begin to relax. Taking a hot shower before you do neck rolls helps the muscles relax as well.
Heat and Ice
Alternate between heat and ice packs to alleviate neck pain. For instance, roll a towel to place under your neck. Lay a heating pad set to the lowest setting on top of the towel and lie down with the heating pad under your neck. Lie in this position for 20 minutes. Next, remove the heating pad and place an ice pack wrapped in a towel on top of the rolled towel and lie down again for 20 minutes. Continue this throughout the day as much as possible while resting.
Massage
Use a handheld massager or get someone to massage your neck, shoulders and back. Use warm oil to the affected area during the massage as well. Working the muscles to relax them will help the pinched nerve pain. Use this method as often as you like.
Considerations
Taking short walks, using an over-the-counter medication (ibuprofen, muscle creams, etc.) will help with the pain short term. If the condition persists, it may be necessary to consult your physician for more physical therapy options and testing to determine choices that are more advanced.
