How can I relieve pain in my neck?

If you’re one of the many Americans who have experienced neck pain, it’s helpful to know you may be able to relieve neck pain at home. For many, a few small remedies can bring lasting relief.

See your health care provider if you're looking for how to help neck pain and have tried home remedies without any results. Advocate Health Care spine specialists offer extensive evaluation and treatment to help you feel better and participate in the activities you enjoy.

Home remedies for neck pain

Neck pain can develop after injuries or because of chronic conditions. But neck stiffness and discomfort often result from muscle strain or weakening. Over time, poor posture can damage or cause weakness in your neck muscles and joints, leading to chronic pain. In mild to moderate cases, home remedies may help.

Move more

When you are in pain, your instinct may be to rest. But with neck pain, a little movement actually helps.

Gentle exercise reduces inflammation and increases blood flow to stiff muscles. When you exercise, avoid jerking or twisting movements that could increase or cause neck pain.

Hot and cold therapy

Have you ever wondered whether hot or cold therapy is best for pain? The answer is both. Ice reduces inflammation, while heat relaxes stiff muscles. For best results, you may alternate using an ice pack and heating pad for about 20 minutes several times a day.

Over-the-counter medications

Minor muscle strains often get better after a few days of using over-the-counter pain-relieving medications. Acetaminophen and naproxen are common options. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, help reduce inflammation and decrease discomfort.

Postural changes

Make an extra effort to notice how you hold your head throughout the day, especially when using your computer, tablet or phone. Many people tilt their head down, which puts extra strain on neck muscles and can even lead to a repetitive stress injury called “tech neck.”

Improve your posture and decrease neck pain by:

• Drawing your shoulders down and away from your ears
• Holding or propping your devices up to eye level, instead of craning your neck down
• Maintaining a straight spine with your head in line with the center of your body

How do I loosen up my neck muscles?

One of the best ways to loosen neck muscles is by applying gentle heat to the area. You may wrap a heating pad in a towel and place it on your neck for a few minutes. Or you may stand under a warm shower to loosen tight neck muscles.

Once your muscles are warm, a gentle neck massage from yourself or a partner can further loosen the muscles and relieve neck pain due to tension. Make sure to direct massage movements toward your heart to promote proper blood flow.

How do you release tension in your neck?

Regular stretching is key to releasing tension in your neck muscles. Especially if you spend long hours in a seated position, take breaks every hour or so to stretch for a few minutes.

Neck pain exercises

Several exercises can help stretch out your neck muscles and relieve neck pain symptoms:

• Head presses: Sit on a seat with a headrest or clasp your hands behind your head. Keeping your chin level, gently press the back of your head against the headrest or into your hands. Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat.
• Head tilts: Move your neck forward and backward by bringing your chin to your chest, pausing for a moment, then extending your chin to the sky. After you repeat forward and backward tilts a few times, move to side-to-side tilts. Bring your ear to your right shoulder, hold for a few seconds, and repeat on the other side.
• Shoulder blade squeezes: Sit with your spine upright and your feet firmly planted on the floor. Gently squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other and hold for 15-30 seconds. Repeat 3-4 times.
• Shoulder rolls: Relieving tension in your shoulders and upper back may also help reduce neck tension. Shoulder rolls can be particularly effective when you coordinate the movements with your breathing. As you inhale, roll your shoulders up to your ears, then draw them down your back as you exhale. Repeat 5-10 times.

What is the fastest way to cure a stiff neck?

There’s no shortcut to cure a stiff neck. Gentle heat, stretching and over-the-counter pain medicines are usually the best ways to decrease neck stiffness quickly.

For long-term neck pain relief and prevention, improve your lifestyle by:

• Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight
• Exercising regularly, incorporating flexibility, strengthening and cardiovascular exercises
• Reducing stress with healthy coping techniques such as meditation, exercise, talk therapy or journaling
• Quitting smoking, which can lead to wear and tear on your cervical discs and poor healing