Have you been suffering from pain around the shoulders and neck region?
Having a hard time figuring out the cause behind your neck pain? Let us help
you understand what neck pain better and what kind of prescription medications
you can take to treat your neck pain.
The neck is made up of bones, ligaments and muscles that supports
movement of your head. The neck vertebrae connects your skull to your upper body.
There are cervical discs that helps in absorbing the shocks between the bones.
Any inflammation, injury or abnormality in the bones can result in neck pain orstiffness.
Common Causes Of Neck Pain
Most of the people experience neck pain or stiffness due to poor posture
or sleeping in an awkward position. Neck pain can also be caused due to an injury
such as from a fall, contact sports, or weight lifting etc.
Usually, neck pain due to posture issues isn’t considered as a serious
condition and easily be relieved in two to three days. If you feel neck pain
that continue even after posture correction and avoiding triggers that causes
pain, you need to consult a doctor. A neck pain that prolongs more than a week,
along with other symptoms such as headache, temperature, vomiting or nausea,
needs immediate medical attention.
Medications That Can Help With Neck Pain
Medications can help relieve neck pain and reduce inflammation of the
soft tissues. There are pain relievers, muscle relaxants and OTC medications
that are commonly used to treat neck pain. But you must note that these are not
well-proven treatments.
Here are some OTC (Nonprescription) pain relievers that you can use:-
- Creams or gels: Bengay – It can be rubbed onto the neck for pain relief. It is easily available over the counter.
- Acetaminophen: Tylenol can help reduce pain.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) are also easily available over the counter that helps in relieving pain and reduce inflammation.
Important
Note: Don’t forget to read the
medication label carefully before using it. Ensure to follow instructions on
the label.
Here are some Prescription pain relievers that you can use:-
- Muscle relaxants: They can be used to treat severe neck pain and muscle spasms. They are generally preferred for localized and acute neck pain.
- Narcotics: These pain relievers are used to treat extreme short-term neck pains.
- Antidepressants: They are mostly prescribed by doctors to treat chronic pain.
- Corticosteroid injections: Although they are not usually used for neck pain but they can be tried if there symptoms of pain and numbness spreading towards arms. It suggests a nerve root issue and corticosteroid injection can help with radiculopathy.
For prescription medication, it is important consult with your doctor.
These medicines do cost high and some may find it hard to afford. You can use a
Prescription discount card to help you get the medication at discounted
prices.
