How to Get Relief From Your Neck Pain

Around 30% of American adults experience neck pain, at least occasionally. Whether you have acute or chronic neck pain, finding relief is critical to your well-being and quality of life. 

Sachida Manocha, MD, of Interventional Pain Center in Worthington and Newark, Ohio, is an expert in treating neck pain. If you have neck pain, he can diagnose the cause and give you a personalized treatment plan to relieve your pain, so you can get back to your regular activities. 

In this blog, Dr. Manocha discusses some things you can do to get relief from neck pain.

Set up your workstation correctly

Your workstation should be set up to reduce physical strain on your body. This means your feet should be flat on the floor, your forearms and thighs should be parallel to the floor, your back should be straight, and your head should face straight ahead. 

If you fall short in any of these areas, you should adjust your seat or computer monitor. Not doing so may put too much strain on the muscles, bones, and connective tissues in your neck.

Adjust your phone habits

The average American spends more than five hours a day scrolling through their phones, and most people tilt their head down to use them. The average head is 11 pounds, which is a lot of weight for a neck to hold in place for five hours. So you should either reduce your phone time or hold your phone straight in front of you.

Stretch

If you spend hours every day sitting at a desk or staring at a screen, you should get up and stretch once an hour or so. Stretching will help loosen the muscles in your neck, shoulders, and back. Getting up will also give your eyes a break from staring at the screen.

Apply heat and ice

While you probably know that over-the-counter painkillers can help relieve neck pain, you may not know that heating pads and ice packs can as well. The heat will help relax your muscles and connective tissues, and the ice or cold packs will help reduce inflammation. 

Talk to your doctor

If you have persistent neck pain or such severe pain that it limits your mobility, Dr. Manocha can help. He’ll give you a thorough examination and perform any tests necessary to determine the cause of your pain. 

Once he finds the cause, he’ll develop a treatment plan to relieve your pain. Depending on the cause, he may recommend medication, physical therapy, spinal injections, or spinal cord stimulation.

If you have neck pain and want effective treatment, book an appointment online or over the phone with Interventional Pain Center today.