A friend reached out to me with this question this morning and I thought I'd share my response:
Q: My neck muscle strained and I can't move it comfortably left to right - I have no idea how or why this happened. What can I do at home to gain more comfort and mobility? Heat or ice? Motrin load up?
A: As a Chiropractor, I get asked this question a LOT. Most folks completely underestimate the importance of this red flag! Nothing replaces a good chiropractic exam to determine exactly what the issue is. If I were alone on a desert island with no one to examine me and an endless supply of moist heat and ice, I would probably start with moist heat. If it got worse than it was when it started once the heat is removed, I'd switch to ice. I would also find which vectors made for a good stretch and hold the stretch for at least a minute at a time. Massage will also help. Since Motrin (ibuprofen) interferes with healing, that might not be the best idea. Tylenol (acetaminophen) interferes with T cell production and your immune system, so I would avoid that if possible as well.
Most of all, and I can't stress this enough, I would definitely get it checked out by a good chiropractor, since this is usually a warning sign that there are major problems lurking under the surface... If it's addressed now, you could potentially stop or prevent the development of arthritis and disease, saving you from a whole bunch of other issues including but not limited to headaches, fatigue, allergies, and more pain. I can't tell you how many times I see people coming into my office with major health problems that resulted from ignoring things like this. It's SOOO easy to fix when you catch it early on... but wait too long, and the damage becomes irreparable. Good luck! If you need the name of someone convenient to you, let me know and I'll see who I know in your area!!
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