Neck pain at the side and shoulder pain, unfortunately, are very commonly experienced among the adult population. There are many causes for neck pain and shoulder pain. Maintaining a position for too long can cause acute pain, so simply sitting at your desk for long periods, hunched over a computer, can be an issue. Problems can be caused from years of bad posture. Carrying a heavy bag on your shoulder over a period of time can also create serious and lasting neck and shoulder pain.

And of course injuries can be sustained to those areas which create pain conditions long after the injury was experienced. While herniated discs are more commonly associated with lower back pain, these can occur in the cervical spine as well, and create much the same effect as they do in the lower back. This is true with upper back pain and side of neck pain as well.

As is the case with lower back pain, there are some important general guidelines to follow when treating these issues. First, a doctor should always be consulted when serious pain arises, whether caused by an obvious injury or when the cause is unknown.

Exercises for neck pain are one of the most effective ways to get on top, and stay on top of the pain. All exercises should be performed slowly and smoothly. One of the easiest, and perhaps best to start with, involves lying on your back, with your knees bent upward and your head on a pillow.

With one hand, gentle pull your head down so that your chin meets your chest. Hold the position and try to achieve as much stretch as you can. Return the head to the upright position, and then with your hand, move your head to the right. Again, hold the position and try to achieve a stretch. Return the head to the upright position, and repeat on the left side. Run through this routine several times, twice a day.

You can do the same exercises sitting up, just make sure that you maintain good body posturing while performing the exercises.

Keep Moving

One of the primary keys for getting over standard neck and shoulder pain is to build the strength and flexibility of the muscles in the surrounding areas. Also, you want to work on building your core strength as well. Many people who experience neck, shoulder and back pain tend to want to not move around too much. And this makes sense; they are in pain and who feels like moving around when you are in pain. But it is important that you do so.

So, at the onset of serious neck and shoulder pain, take a day or so to let the inflammation in those areas subside. Rest as much as possible. However, you should not remain in the bed all day, as this will create its own set of issues that will make it harder for you to recover. Instead, get out of bed at least every two to three hours and walk for 15 to 20 mintues.

The exercise will keep other muscles in your body moving and strong. During this first day or so, using heat or a combination of heat and ice is also recommended. Heat and ice should be used for no more than 20 minutes at a time every two to four hours. If using ice, make sure to cover your skin; ice packs should not be placed directly on the skin.

After the first day or so, begin your neck and shoulder exercises. It is very important to get and stay in the habit of holding yourself in a good body posture, so this should be the place where you start. Those of us who spend long hours in front of computers every day, will likely have to retain their bodies to hold a good posture.

The body makes adjustments to bad posture over time, and you will find that certain muscle groups have become disproportionately strong to their adjacent muscle groups. This must be remedied.

This retraining will often involved strengthening the core muscles in your stomach area, and ensure the rest of your critical upper and lower body muscle groups are strong as well.

Pain can be dealt with very effectively in most cases with simple over the counter pain relievers, though more serious cases might require a prescription anti inflammatory or pain relief medication. It is important that you know and follow all instructions with these medications. Some are addictive and others have side effects that should be watched for while you take them.

Shoulder and neck pain are very commonly experienced among adults in the country, and in many cases, this pain is the result of the accumulation of years of bad posture and insufficient exercise, as well as habits that can cause repetitive stress injuries to the area. Most of these problems can be resolved with exercise.

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