To relieve pain in the neck on your left side, you can place a warm water compress, as well as massage the region using analgesic and anti-inflammatory ointments to help relieve pain. However, if the discomfort continues or the pain is very intense, you should go to the doctor for an evaluation to verify the cause, and if necessary, determine the most appropriate treatment.
Neck pain can occur due to poor posture, excess stress or tiredness, but it can also indicate more serious problems such as a herniated disc, osteomyelitis or an infection. It’s important in these more serious cases to keep an eye out for other symptoms and see a doctor for a diagnosis.
- Four Steps to Remove Neck Pain on the Left Side
- Place a warm compress
- A warm compress increases blood circulation in the region by relaxing the neck muscles.
How to do it: Wet a towel, place it in a plastic ziploc bag and place in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Next, the plastic bag should be closed, wrapped in another dry towel and applied to the neck for 20 minutes. Care must be taken to avoid burns.
To further relieve pain, painkiller essential oils such as clove oil from India, lavender oil, or peppermint oil can be placed on the towel that comes in contact with the skin.
Perform a massage
After the warm water compress, it’s ideal to receive a neck massage with analgesic and anti-inflammatory ointments as they help to relieve inflammation and pain. This type of ointment is especially helpful in combating torticollis.
How to do it: Wet your fingers with moisturizer or oil and press the tips of the fingers against the painful regions on the left side of your neck. Make circular movements for 2 minutes to promote the absorption of the ointment and relaxation of the muscles.
Perform stretching exercises
Performing stretching exercises help improve pain and help decrease tension in the neck muscles.
How to do it: The neck must be stretched to the right, left, forward and backward, each movement must be performed for 30 seconds.
These exercises can be done every day to increase muscle strength and endurance, preventing pain from reappearing, even in the case of arthritis and herniated discs in the neck region.
Take a pain reliever or muscle relaxer
In case the neck pain does not disappear after completing the steps mentioned above, and the pain persists for more than 3 days, the next step is to go to the doctor for an evaluation and verify the cause of the pain. Typically, a doctor will prescribe medications that help to relieve pain and reduce inflammation, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Some physicians may suggest the use of muscle relaxants to decrease tension on the muscles.
To relieve and remove neck pain faster, it is recommended:
- Sleep with a low, firm pillow
- Avoid driving while the neck pain is not relieved
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as this position increases pressure in the neck region
- Avoid attending the cell phone between the ear and the shoulder
- Avoid sitting for a long time in front of the computer
- It is also important to maintain a good posture to avoid tensing the neck muscles, being possible to relieve pain and inflammation.
Some exercises to improve posture
Exercising in the gym or practicing Pilates regularly helps maintain good posture because it strengthens the muscles of both your back, abdomen and neck. It is also recommended to do some stretching daily to increase the elasticity of the muscles, so Pilates exercises have a greater advantage because they require a good body stretch.
When sitting you must make sure that you sit on the back bone and keep your back resting on the chair and your feet on the floor. While standing, you must maintain the erect posture and distribute the weight of the body on the 2 feet at the same time, avoiding leaning on the hip.
When should you go to the doctor
It is important to go to the hospital or consult a doctor if the pain in your neck is not relieved in 3 days. If the pain is intense or if you have other symptoms such as fever, vomiting or dizziness, these can be symptoms of diseases such as meningitis or migraine. We can help, call now 205-637-1363.
