If you have a cold neck, it means that as a result of hypothermia, the muscles have become inflamed. As a result, blood circulation is disturbed, which is accompanied by severe pain.
Cold neck. Symptoms
The neck can hurt not only as a result of hypothermia, but also due to strong physical exertion, osteochondrosis and other problems with the musculoskeletal system. To understand that the neck is cold, you need to pay attention to the nature of the pain. It can be aching, pulling. The pain quickly spreads to the shoulder girdle and even to the shoulder blades. It can be aggravated by turning or tilting the head, as well as during conversations and meals. If the inflammation is not severe, then it can go away on its own in a few days. Otherwise, you will have to see a doctor and seek special treatment.
What do I need to do to get started?
Many people, waking up in the morning, feel severe pain in the neck, which makes it difficult to even raise your head from the pillow. If the day before you were not subjected to strong physical exertion, then, most likely, the matter is in hypothermia. If someone does not know what to do if they have a cold neck, first of all, the following measures should be taken:
- In order not to injure muscle tissue, you need to beat rest. The ideal option is bed rest. If you have to sit a lot, put a cushion under your neck, which will serve as a support and relieve it of excessive tension. And no physical activity (try not to even turn your head).
- If your neck is cold, at first it will hurt a lot, and therefore you will have to take analgesics (preferably with an anti-inflammatory effect). Never take antibiotics without first consulting your doctor.
- Keep your cold area warm. Knit a wool scarf or wear a turtleneck sweater. In this state, the neck should be both day and night.
Cold lymph node in neck
The lymphatic system is very sensitive to temperature changes. The nodes perform a restraining function, preventing the infection from spreading throughout the body, and therefore, when hypothermia, they can become inflamed and greatly increase in size. Therefore, self-medication is not worth it (especially if the child has a cold neck). The attending physician must establish an accurate diagnosis, after which complex treatment will be prescribed:
- anti-inflammatory drugs to eliminate the cause of the disease;
- antibiotics to fight infection and prevent possible complications;
- immunomodulators to strengthen the protective barriers of the body.
Since inflammation of the lymph nodes in children and adults is most often associated with colds, special attention should be paid to preventive measures. Strengthen your immune system and keep your neck warm.
Neck treatments
What to do if you have a cold neck? First of all, provide peace and warmth. And if the pain does not go away within a few days, go to the doctor immediately. He will prescribe the appropriate medications and physiotherapy for you. And at home, you can do the following:
- To soothe pain and increase blood circulation, do a light massage. The movements should be very smooth and without pressure. You can use warming ointments or aromatic oils.
- To soothe pain and increase blood circulation, do a light massage. The movements should be very smooth and without pressure. You can use warming ointments or aromatic oils.
- Heat the s alt in a frying pan and pour it into a cloth bag (you can use a sock). This "dry heat" works great for sore muscles.
- To achieve a quick recovery, try the contrast compress technique. Alternate cold and hot lotions all day long. Before going to bed, wrap a warm scarf around your neck and leave it overnight (alcohol compress can be used).
Warm compresses should be handled very carefully and not done without a doctor's recommendation. If you have a sore throat or other inflammatory conditions, then intense heat can only exacerbate the problem.
Folk recipes
Our ancestors always knew what to do if they had a cold neck, how to treat inflammation of the muscles. There are many folk recipes, the most popularamong which are the following:
- For 10 hours, you need to insist 2 tablespoons of marshmallow (crushed root) in a glass of water. The heated liquid will be very effective in the form of a compress.
- Take a cabbage leaf and beat it lightly with a rolling pin. Now sprinkle it with soda, laundry soap (you need to grate it first) and apply it to the sore spot. Secure the compress with plastic wrap or a dry cloth, then wrap with a warm scarf.
- Honey should be slightly warmed up in a water bath, then add aloe juice. Applications are made from the resulting mass.
If you do not consider yourself an adherent of traditional medicine, then modern methods will come to your aid. So, several times a day, rub the sore spot with warming ointments. Tools such as "Teraflex" and "Apizartron" have proven themselves quite well.
Rehabilitation period
If you had a cold neck, then the elimination of pain is not yet evidence of a complete recovery. In order to bring the muscles into tone, it is necessary to undergo rehabilitation. Physiotherapy exercises are ideal, which includes the following set of exercises:
- Place your palms on your forehead and back of your head and press lightly on your head. In this case, the neck muscles need to be alternately strained and relaxed.
- The next exercise is similar to the previous one, with the only difference that the palms should lie on the temples.
- Head needs to be thrown back. In this case, your chin should stretch forward. In this position, you need to linger on10 seconds, then completely relax the neck. Do some repetitions.
- Keep your back straight. Tilt your head to the right and left, trying to reach your shoulder with your ear (without lifting it). You need to stay in this position for a few seconds to feel the tension in the muscles.
When you are fully back to normal, do not forget about these exercises. They will help you strengthen your neck muscles and serve as a good prevention.
Conclusions
The first question that comes to the mind of a person who has a cold in the neck is "How to treat?". First of all, provide yourself with complete rest and dry warmth (for example, a woolen scarf). If the inflammation is not strong, then in a couple of days you will forget about the pain. Otherwise, you can not avoid a visit to the doctor. He will prescribe you a comprehensive treatment, which includes anti-inflammatory and pain medications, as well as physiotherapy. You can also turn to "grandmother's" methods that have been proven effective for centuries. When the pain subsides, be sure to do specific exercises to speed up the recovery process.
