Please help, is there anything else i can do to ease my neck pain until i see a chiropractor?

Question

Ive been having neck pains for the last few months but it has been getting worse and now my neck is constantly in pain. Im going to a chiropractor in a few days but what can i do until then to help ease the pain? Ive tryed hot packs and that doesnt help and advil and asprin havent been doing anything!

Please help!

Thank you

Answer 1

Why are you seeing a chiropractor? That could be alot of your problem. If you have been seeing one already and you pain is worse then, it should already make sense, but if you haven't yet, you really shouldn't unless you go to a GP first and they recommend one. I see alot of people at Physical Theraphy every week that have been severly damaged by going to chiropractors and they didn't do what was in their best intrest. There are some good ones out there, but believe me there are an equally bad amt. of them out there as well.

You probably have a disc that is herniated, especially if your pain keeps getting worse. Instead of hot packs, try alternating Ice and Heat in about 15 min intervals. Take Aleve Liquid Gels, it is made with Naproxen and that is what a lot of docs recommend for neck pain at first. Try to be as still a possible for a couple days straight if you can and see if it eases itself, if not you should go and have X Rays to check the discs' in your neck, they could maybe give you steriod pills (prednasone) for a few days to shrink them.
Good Luck to you, I know it hurts!!

Answer 2

Wow, such negativity towards chiropractors. First of all you should be mindful of people who claim they know 'lots of people who were made worse by chiropractors'. Generally there are lots of people who make up these sorts of remarks.

As to answer your question, you should continue to stretch the area into different directions, until you reach a point where you feel pain. You should always stop when you feel the pain, but sometimes stretching will help.

I would also recommend applying ice to the area for 6-7 hours if possible, then return to the heat pack. Sometimes a different sensation may cause the pain to ease up a bit, but because pain is such an individual thing, it's very hard to say for sure what will work.

Good luck

Answer 3

Before I went and let a quack (read chiropractor) twist my neck and maybe do more damage I'd have a doctor do an MRI to see what's causing the pain. If it's a ruptured disk or pinched nerve, letting a chiropractor manipulate it could cause serious injury. I had problems for two years because my doctor had me doing exercises which irritated the problem. Finally went to an orthopedic surgeon who found that I had arthritic bone spurs which were irritating the nerves and soft tissue.

Answer 4

Eliminate the hot packs and use cold but you can alternate bewteen the two. Use a cold pack wrapped in a towel and do not leave on for an extended length of time.