Updated on: 11/7/2019
As personal injury lawers, many of our clients suffer from sore necks and backs after an accident. In a recent magazine, there was a short list of instructions to follow to help soothe this pain.
Follow these seven easy steps:
1. Eat pineapple. Yes, pineapple. Pineapple is rich in bromelain, a powerful enzyme that’s study-proven to reduce the swelling and help you heal faster from musculoskeletal woes, such as neck pain.
2. Exhale slowly. The neck-and-shoulder area is the premier place we hold tension when stressed. Lengthening your exhale to a count of seven after taking a deep breath helps relieve the tightness that triggers pain.
3. Apply heat. Ease pain with an electric heating pad. Also, research shows you’ll get better relief by applying heat for at least 30 minutes rather than in short bursts with a quick-cooling microwaveable gel.
4. Sleep on the right pillow. Keep your neck in its natural alignment throughout the night, and you’ll be much less likely to wake up with stiffness or pain, say experts, who recommend picking a pillow based on your sleeping position: Choose one that’s soft and thin if you law on your tummy: medium-firm if you’re a back sleeper; and very firm if you sleep on your side.
5. Rest your forearms to stop strain. Placing a foam or rubber forearm rest in front of your keyboard helps reduce the stress on your neck and shoulders – cutting pain triggered by long hours at a computer by almost half, say doctors at the University of California.
6. Take fish oil to stop soreness. Taking 1200 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids daily quelled inflammation enough to wean nearly 60% of neck pain patients off of painkillers in one recent study.
7. Protect Your Neck. Performing neck exercises twice a week can reduce pain: push your forehead against the palm of your hands, count to five, then relax. Next, press the back of your head into your hands for a count of five, relax. Do the same once on each side. Repeat the set five times.