| If you have hurt your neck in any way, the best | | | | times. If the discomfort has increased after the |
| thing to do is rest. Lie back with an ice pack | | | | stretches, cold-pack the neck for 30 minutes. |
| wrapped around the painful area for 30 minutes. | | | | Repeat the exercises twice a day. |
| Take an anti-inflammatory medicine such as | | | | For more active exercise, use the palm of your |
| ibuprofen 600 mg four times a day. Repeat cold | | | | hand as a ‘graded resistance machine.' Put |
| packs 30 minutes, four times a day for two days. | | | | your palm against your forehead, and push your |
| After a few days, gentle heat may be used | | | | neck against it. Slowly push the hand forward with |
| intermittently to relax the area. Don't overdo the | | | | your head until the neck is fully bent, then let the |
| heat, it can make you more sore. Limit it to about | | | | head return to the neutral position while continuing |
| 20 minutes four times a day. Get back to your | | | | resistance. |
| activities as quickly as you can. After a day of | | | | Repeat 10 times. Do the exercise for backward |
| activity, an ice pack in the evening can reduce the | | | | motion (with both hands behind your head), then |
| next day stiffness. | | | | with side-tilt (with a palm against your scalp just |
| Once you feel well enough, you will want to move | | | | above the ear). Do the exercises twice a day. |
| onto the Rehab stage. Begin to restore your | | | | As with all exercise, you need to listen to your |
| neck's mobility. Begin by warming the neck for 10 | | | | body, keep the back of the neck and spine |
| minutes. Some light aerobic activity may help | | | | lengthened and the rib cage lifted. Remember to |
| loosen the muscles. While sitting, tilt your neck | | | | breathe as you work with the different exercises. |
| forward until you begin to feel the stretch. Hold | | | | However, seeing a doctor is vital for all strains |
| there for 30 seconds, relax a minute, then repeat | | | | with a significant mechanism of injury or for |
| 5 times. Do the stretch in the backwards | | | | severe, persistent, or unexplained symptoms or |
| direction, then tilting to each side (ear towards | | | | problems. As with other conditions, supportive |
| shoulder), then rotating (chin towards shoulder). | | | | self-care is often enough for you to have a |
| Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, repeating 5 | | | | complete recovery. |