You’ve woken up with a sore, stiff neck and can barely turn your head from side to side. Not only is this uncomfortable, the pain makes it difficult to do simple things like turning your head to talk to someone and drive.

Sometimes, you need fast, easy neck pain relief. Instead of searching online for “how to stop neck pain” or “how to deal with neck pain,” consider the following tips next time you suffer from neck pain.

Tips for How to Stop Neck Pain

Neck pain is often sharp or dull and aching; neck pain can also lead to stiffness, tenderness, and headaches. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, here are a few ways to find neck pain relief as quickly as possible.

1- Hydrate

Your spinal discs are about 80% water and as you age, the disc becomes drier. Staying hydrated can help ease some of the pain and prevent cervical disc degeneration. Carrying around a refillable water bottle is a great way to stay on top of drinking water.

2- Ice Therapy

Ice will quickly numb the pain and decrease inflammation. Use an ice pack or put some ice in a Ziploc bag; wrap the cold pack in a thin towel or pillowcase and apply the ice pack to your neck for 15 minutes at a time.

3- Take a Lavender Bath

Use some lavender oil drops in a warm bath. Lavender oil can help relieve pain as well as relax you. If you suffered a neck strain or stiff neck during the day, a lavender bath just before bed is a great way to get neck pain relief and relax.

4- Hydrotherapy

If you don’t have time for a bath, you can complete some hydrotherapy in the shower for neck pain relief. Using warm water, target the neck area for three to four minutes in the shower. Switch to cold water and target the neck pain for 30 to 60 seconds. Hot water will increase blood circulation to ease your stiff muscles while cold will help reduce inflammation.

5- Perform Some Stretches

Simple yoga poses such as an extended triangle pose, standing forward bend and corpse pose can all help quickly relieve some of your pain.

6- Heat Therapy

As previously mentioned, heat can increase circulation and loosen the muscles. Wrap a hot water bottle or heat pack in a thin towel or pillowcase and gently apply it to your stiff neck. Use heat therapy carefully as leaving it on your neck for too long can actually increase inflammation.

7- Massage

Using gentle pressure in small circular motions, massage the neck and shoulders. Be mindful when massaging the affected area; if it hurts too much, stop and try a different form of neck pain relief.

8- Use an Anti-Inflammatory

Use a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory such as aspirin or ibuprofen to ease the pain and reduce inflammation.

9- Lie Down

One of the quickest ways to relieve neck pain is to lie down and give our muscles a chance to recover. Sometimes rest is best.

10- Practice Good Habits

Neck pain can sometimes last only a few hours. So simple things, like walking, reducing stress, perfecting your posture and relaxing can quickly lessen up your neck. These good habits are good not only for reducing neck pain but also preventing it in the future.

What Causes Neck Pain?

Neck pain may be caused by an injury, medical conditions, and even infections. The following issues may be the cause of your discomfort:

If your neck pain occurs with other symptoms, such as chest pain or shortness of breath, see a doctor right away. You may also want to see a doctor if the pain is causing immobility, there is numbness or tingling sensations in your extremities or the neck pain has worsened and become long-term.