Shoulder and Neck Pain Prevention

Timely follow-up visits to your doctor plus following his or her recommendations will enable you to recover faster. The preventions from shoulder and neck pains are:

• To prevent injuries, examine your home for potential hazards and correct them to reduce the chance of accidental injury.
• Proper exercise of the shoulders and neck can reduce the risk of injury.
• When performing hazardous tasks, have someone present to reduce the likelihood of injury. For example, when climbing a ladder, have someone hold the base of the ladder to keep it from sliding to either side.
• Know your limitations. Do not perform activities that you do not have the training, skills, tools, or strength to accomplish.
• Wear seat belts and use other safety equipment to reduce injuries.

Shoulder and Neck Pain Treatment

Minor injuries that have only slight pain can be treated at home. If the source of the pain and the cause of the pain are not known, or if symptoms suggest you might have a more serious condition, you should contact your doctor while initiating basic care measures.

• Rest: Use the injured area as little as possible for the first two to three days, then slowly begin to exercise the injured area. This speeds recovery.
• Ice: Place the ice in a plastic bag, wrap the bag with a towel, and then apply to the injured area for 15-20 minutes every hour. Directly applying ice can damage the skin.
• Elevation: Elevation of the injured area above your heart helps the swelling go down. This reduces your pain. Use pillows to prop yourself up.
• Pain control: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) oribuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can help control swelling and pain.
• Heat: Do not apply heat in the first week because it can increase the swelling in the injured area and worsen your pain.