Whether you have a job that places a high focus on physical labor or are more likely to spend your time at a desk, it’s likely that you are familiar with neck pain. It may strike when you get out of bed in the morning, or you may find yourself stuck with a stiff neck after hours at work. For many people, neck pain is also one of the first physical signs of stress. But due to the difficulty of finding pain relief products that effectively target this specific part of the body, people with a stiff neck may feel that they have to suffer through the pain. Fortunately, there are not only some effective muscle pain relievers, like pain relief patches, that can reduce this discomfort, but there are also a number of steps you can take to decrease neck pain in the long run. Have you tried adding any of these easy remedies to your day?

Invest in a Firmer Mattress and Pillow
Your stiff neck could be caused by improper sleeping positions, or simply unsupportive cushioning. But how do you keep yourself from unconsciously moving into a comfortable but ultimately damaging pose while you sleep? By investing in a firmer mattress, you won’t have to deal with compressed spaces that can put stress on your body. Likewise, a better pillow will support your head, reducing pressure on your neck and lower back that can cause neck pain.

Apply Cold and Hot Treatments
It isn’t enough to simply ice your neck to reduce pain: while cold pain relief treatments reduce inflammation, applying a warming treatment immediately after, like a pain relief patch, will naturally relax your muscles. Try icing a towel and applying it to your neck for 15 minutes before using a form of heat treatment to ease away the discomfort for another 15 minutes.

Get a Massage
A neck massage can release the tension in your muscles and restore flexibility. However, this isn’t as simple as rubbing your neck: a proper neck massage should be performed by another person, and preferably someone who has been trained to do so, as a bad massage can damage your muscles as well as heal them. Experts also recommend patients seek out hot oil massages because of way warmth can help relax muscles.

Stretch
If you frequently experience neck pain, try stretching your neck regularly to reduce tension and allow your joints and discs to remain healthy. Try slowly turning your neck to each side as far as possible, holding it for about ten seconds. Next, roll your shoulders before moving your head in a slow circle. Pay special attention to these stretches before you exercise or perform physical labor: stiff muscles are a sure path to injury.

There are a number of different forms of chronic pain in the world, with some even signifying a serious medical condition or requiring clinical treatment. For most people, however, pain is caused by a number of common stressors, as well as tension in the body itself. Try adding these steps above to relieve your stiff neck and get back to living a life without pain.