What can I do about a strained muscle in my neck?!
Question:
What can I do about a strained muscle in my neck?
I strained the left side of my neck from sleeping wrong the other night. It really hurts and it is affecting me when I turn my head or sit here typing. The pains goes from my neck down my left arm.
Answers:
Typically, you want to put cold on it for first 24 - 48 hrs. After that, heat will feel great, particularly because muscle is in spasm. If this is one time occurrence, you just need to do the above, try to eliminate or reduce any further strain, and just rest it. There are some basic exercises you can try to help keep the spot loose (try Internet search: neck pain). If it has occurred before, you may want to follow up with MD. I would be worried about pain shooting down the arm if this has happened more than once. It could indicate some nerve or disk complications.