11 Home Remedies for Sore Neck Muscles

As a great number of Americans have sales or office jobs (approximately 34.6 million, according to the 2000 Census), almost all of these employees spend at least six to seven hours a day working from a desk. This means constantly sitting down, staring at a computer screen, and not moving for long periods of time. With statistics like these, it is no wonder why so many adults in the United States frequently experience sore neck muscles and other related symptoms, including headaches, swollen neck muscles, strained shoulders, and other chronic upper or lower back or front pains.

On the other hand, many individuals also experience sore neck muscles from sleeping or other conditions. No matter what the cause, sore neck muscles can lead to a very uncomfortable situation that will put you on the hunt for a treatment you can count on to relieve your symptoms.

You do not have to spend hundreds of dollars at expensive clinics to find relief for sore neck and shoulder muscles. There are a few highly useful tips you can apply without even leaving the house. On this note, we invite you to look into our 11 home remedies for sore neck muscles below, along with some tips for how you can prevent neck muscle soreness in the future.

woman-with-neck-pain

1. Hot Shower

If you are on the run and you find your neck muscles sore and in great pain, you can always hop into the shower for some awesome therapy. Turn on your shower and let the hot water run. Step inside and allow the water to run over the area of your neck where you feel muscle soreness for at least four to five minutes. Make sure that you keep your neck straight and you do not move it to the left or right side while running the water on the affected area. This will relax your stiff muscles and offer soothing relief. This remedy will also help for throat or shoulder pain, as well as for when you want to treat a headache.

2. Ginger Root Tea

To treat the pain from inside out, you can brew a pot of ginger root tea for sore front neck muscles or back muscles. Ginger root tea works so well because it has strong anti-inflammatory properties that will calm your muscles and make your pain go away. All you have to do is slice up a little piece of ginger root and use two cups of water to make a tea. Allow the root to boil in the water as you would do with any other tea and add a bit of honey at the end for taste. If you do not want to prepare some ginger root tea, you can take a half teaspoon of powdered ginger in one glass of water. If you choose this solution, drink it three times a day until the pain goes away.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

Sore neck muscles can be treated naturally also with the help of apple cider vinegar, a terrific ingredient for numerous home remedies. Thanks to its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant content, apple cider vinegar can really give you the pain relief you need, no matter what causes your sore neck muscles. You can treat yourself to a nice apple cider vinegar bath by adding two cups of this solution into your tub. Stay in the tub for around twenty minutes and repeat this remedy once a day. An alternative is to take a napkin and drench it in apple cider vinegar. After that, place it on the area of your neck where you are experiencing soreness and leave it there for several hours. You should repeat this remedy two times a day for the best results.

4. Salt Bath

If you are not looking forward to smelling like vinegar when you get out of the bath tub, you can try a bath with Epsom salts to treat your sore neck muscles. This is also an excellent alternative for those who have more time at hand and can take a bath instead of just a shower. To prepare your bath, add two cuts of Epsom salt to the tub and rest for about twenty minutes. The magnesium content in Epsom salt will speed up your recovery, and you will be super relaxed afterwards, as well.

5. Turmeric Milk

You should already know by now that turmeric is an amazing ingredient for home remedies and that you should have some at hand at all times. For feeling better, take one teaspoon of powder, stir it in a glass full of milk, and heat it up for approximately five minutes. After that, mix in some honey and let it cool off on its own. You should consume this beverage two times every day until all of your symptoms are completely gone. The curcumin content of turmeric allows you to benefit from powerful anti-inflammatory properties, so drink up and get well soon.

6. Lavender Oil

Ah, just the mere thought of lavender oil is heavenly. This deliciously scented essential oil is wonderful for using on sore neck muscles, as it will calm down your spasms, relieve the stress in your muscles and work its anti-inflammatory magic. All you have to do is take a bit of lavender oil and use it to gently massage the area causing you pain. If you do not have any lavender oil at hand or if you prefer other essences, you can look into basil, peppermint, cypress, or majoram oils, to name a few.

7. Cold Pack

You have already noticed that heat can make you feel better, but you should also know that ice will make you feel equally well when looking to treat sore neck muscles. Crush up some ice cubes and wrap them in a plastic bag. Make sure that you cover the bag with a cloth so your skin does not make direct contact with the ice content. Use the cold pack on your affected area for up to fifteen minutes (don’t leave it on for any more) and repeat it every several hours. If you do not have ice at hand, you can also use bags of frozen food, as long as you cover them well with a clean towel.

8. Massage

The easiest, less expensive, and most efficient way to get rid of sore neck muscles caused by strain is to carefully massage the area. You can use any of the essential oils we mentioned above and massage the back of your neck gently on a regular basis. For better results, you should ask a family member or a close friend to help you out by massaging your neck for you. Make sure that you don’t put too much pressure on your neck, especially if your pain is severe, and if your symptoms do not go away after a few days of frequent massaging contact your doctor.

9. Anti-inflammatory Medication

Most of us have some sort of anti-inflammatory, over the counter medication at home. Even though this home remedy does not come from your cupboard, garden, or refrigerator, it really will help you get rid of that muscle pain. Make sure that you follow the instructions on the label and always respect the recommended dosage. If you are not sure how your body will react to a particular type of medication, you can have a discussion with a medical professional and see which varieties he or she suggests for your condition.

10. Proper Posture

Sometimes in order to treat the effect, you have to work on the cause. Poor posture sincerely is one of the most common reasons for sore neck muscles, and it is a mistake that almost all of us make when we are under stress or when we focus our attention upon other tasks. Try to maintain proper posture at all times, no matter how caught up in work you might be. Keep your back straight and your muscles stretched out as often as you can. Consider modifying your workstation by taking ergonomic aspects into consideration, such as a quality office chair or positioning your laptop so you can look straight in front of you. It might seem like an insignificant detail, but it really make a difference.

11. Stretching

It is recommended that everybody should stretch and exercise, if not on a daily basis, then at least a couple of times every week. If you are experiencing sore neck muscles, gently stretch your neck and try to perform a few basic exercises. Be careful so you do not pull a muscle or put even more strain on the area than you are feeling already. Slowly move your head from side to side and up and down. You can also seek advice from a fitness professional that can offer you the tips they give for athletes. For the best results, combine this step with another one from our list, and do not forget to relax your muscles and be patient with recovery.

Wrapping Up

Neck pain is not something that discriminates. It can attack anyone at any time, and it is a huge bother. This is especially true if you wake up with a stiff neck that makes it painful to turn your head. Nobody wants to suffer away when there are a ton of home remedies that can help ease the hurt.

Of course, you should always check with your doctor, especially if your neck pain is a result of an accident or injury. You want to be sure there isn’t something more serious going on than a little muscle pain. If the doctor gives you the all clear, though, you can try out our remedy suggestions.

So, the next time you get a pain in the neck, try out some or all of the remedies from our list. Then, tell us about how they worked for you in the comments.

Image sources: 1, 2.