4 Ways To Fix A Pinched Nerve In The Neck At Home

We’ve all experienced neck pain at some point or the other, whether it’s from sleeping all twisted up or staying hunched up at the workstation. But if you have been experiencing a sharp or burning pain that starts in the neck and travels down your arm, tingling sensation in your hands or fingers, muscle weakness in your hand, shoulder, or arm, and loss of sensation, you may have pinched a nerve in your neck. This condition, known as cervical radiculopathy, occurs when a nerve in your neck is irritated or compressed at the point where it branches off from your spinal cord.

# Apply Ice Or Heat

Applying a warm or cold compress at the point of pain might soothe any inflammation and give you some relief. For a cold compress, wrap a bag of frozen peas in a tea towel and apply it to your neck thrice a day, 5 minutes at a time. For a warm compress, wrap a hot water bottle in a towel and apply it to your neck for about 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day. See which of these treatments work best for you and then pick the one that you can continue using for longer.

# Correct Your Posture

Good posture can relieve pain caused due to cervical radiculopathy by reducing any pressure on your neck. Your head weighs around 10–12 pounds and it’s your neck’s job to support it. Carrying your head in a way that puts the least possible weight on the neck is important to avoid neck pain. Here are some useful tips on posture that you should keep in mind:

- Don’t tilt your head forward: You’re likely to handle the weight of your head best when it’s tilted back slightly because this way its weight gets evenly distributed over the spine. On the other hand, tilting your head forward puts more pressure on your neck. In fact, tilting it forward by about 15 degrees – a crime that we’re all guilty of when we look at our cell phones – can magnify its weight to about 27 pounds. Studies have found that reducing the “forward head posture,” can resolve radiculopathy and reduce pain caused by it.

- Raise your workstation: Another easy way of alleviating pressure on your spine is by raising your workstation to eye level to alleviate any pressure on your spine. So, be sure to adjust your workstation and bring your phone up to eye level so you don’t have to bend your neck to look down. You could also try a standing desk.

- While sitting down, make sure you sit back in your chair and place a rolled-up towel in the curve of your back to support it. Also, keep your shoulders and your hips aligned and don’t jut your chin forward.

- While standing, make sure the chin is tucked in and your shoulders are not hunched.

- Don’t sleep on your stomach: Sleeping on your stomach can strain your neck. Instead, lie on your side with your knees slightly bent.

# Use A Soft Cervical Collar

Soft cervical collars are commonly used to deal with neck pain caused by a pinched nerve. These collars are essentially padded rings which wrap around your neck. They restrict neck motion and allow neck muscles to rest. This helps reduce the pinching of nerve roots during the neck’s movement.

However, long-term use of soft collars can weaken neck muscles, so this remedy should only be used for short periods. Speak to your doctor to see if a soft cervical collar is appropriate for you and how long you should use it for.

# Explore Cervical Traction

Cervical traction involves gentle stretching of the muscles and joints of your neck and is believed to reduce any pressure on the nerve root that’s been affected. However, it is generally put into use only after severe muscle pain has abated. During the treatment, the patient is asked to place their head and neck in a cervical traction device following which 8–12 pounds of tension is applied for 15–20 minutes by a physiotherapist, chiropractor, or massage therapist. And while there are cervical traction kits which can be used at home as well, this remedy can cause harm if used incorrectly. Hence, be sure to consult your doctor before you try cervical traction.