Relieve Neck Pain Through Rest in Vacaville

When relieving neck pain in Vacaville, doing nothing is often the best solution.

Rest is known for being the simplest therapy for strain or stress induced neck pain since it takes away the pressure off your neck and gives your joints, ligaments, and muscles a chance to repair themselves. Your doctor may even recommend some medication that will go along with rest as well as other simple techniques that reduces inflammation and its associated pain.

The rest plan In Vacaville

Back in the day, doctors would always order their patients to take up weeks of bed rest for their neck (and back) pain, but current thinking has reduced it to just a few days for the healing process to start. Doing this sooner would be better for you.

These are the usual instructions that your doctor may provide. So, make sure to heed the following advice:

• Bed rest: You will be advised to treat yourself to total bed rest for a few days. Your doctor will even outline the ideal position for you to maintain the natural curve of the neck and spine. To keep your neck maintained in a neutral position when in bed, a specially shaped neck or cervical pillow is recommended since it fills the space between the bed and back of your neck. You can reduce the pressure on your back, especially when lying flat for a few days, by putting a pillow under your knees. It is worth noting that you can avoid another strain from happening by not propping yourself up with lots of pillows because that simply puts your head and neck at an awkward angle.
• Specific rest: This approach simply focuses the rest part on the area where it is causing a lot of pain. There will also be some easy exercises that targets adjacent body parts, like the shoulders and upper back, to provide further relief.
• Immobilizing the area: If a certain movement is causing you pain, you may want to avoid doing it again. However, this is easier said than done. To help you limit your movement, you might be required to wear a neck brace.
• Ice and heat: Depending on what caused your pain, your doctor may recommend applying an ice on the affected area for 20-minute periods every few hours for the first three days. Ice is good for reducing inflammation and as a result, it eases your pain. Once the initial inflammation has passed, you will be told to switch up to heat for 20-minute periods a few times a day, or as instructed.
• Moving methodically: Whenever you wake up from bed, you should get up slowly and ask for some assistance if necessary. Avoid using sudden, jerky movements because it could hurt your neck. Take your time sitting up to avoid dizziness, especially if you have been lying down for a long time.

Once you are done with your bed rest, you can resume doing activities but go slowly so that you can avoid the actions that have led to your neck pain in the first place. However, if it continues to persist or hurts in the first place, then come visit us here at Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine at Vacaville, CA. Just dial (707) 474-5688 to set up an appointment with us right away!