When you’re an athlete, it’s a given that you’re going to get injured from time to time. There are hundreds of different ways for an athlete to get hurt, and the neck is one of the most common sites for sports-related injuries. Neck pain can be extremely uncomfortable and even painful, which can have a significant impact on your ability to play and continue performing at peak levels.

The neck is made up of many different bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles that all work together to support the weight of your head and keep your spine in place. When one or more of these components is overstretched or strained too far, it can lead to pain, tenderness, or stiffness in the area. In some cases, especially if there has been trauma such as whiplash or a previous injury that hasn’t healed properly, this can also cause other problems such as headaches.

Depending on the type of activity you do and how severe your neck injury is, there are several different treatments that can help you get back into things more quickly than if you just let it heal on its own. Here are four ways to treat neck injuries from a doctor so that you can stay in the game as fast as possible.

Check in with Your Doctor

The first thing you should do when you experience any type of pain or discomfort in the neck area is check in with your neck injury doctor. Even if you think something is not serious, it can help to have it checked out just to make sure everything is alright. There may be a specific reason why you have pain in the neck, such as a muscle strain or an inflammation in a tendon or ligament, or there may be a more serious problem such as a herniated disk or spinal stenosis. If you don’t know what is causing the pain and it’s impacting your ability to perform, it’s always better to be safe than sorry and get it checked out.

Ice and Heat Therapy

If your neck injury is relatively minor and you just want to get rid of the pain and swelling as quickly as possible, ice and heat therapy may be the best treatment for you. For the best results, it’s important to use both ice and heat together in order to promote healing and reduce inflammation. To use ice therapy, simply apply an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel directly to the affected area for 15-20 minutes at a time, 2-3 times a day. Make sure to put a towel between your skin and the ice to avoid frostbite. Heat therapy is also ideal for managing swelling. You can use a heating pad on the neck and upper back area, or you can apply a warm, moist towel or towel soaked in warm water and wrung out slightly. For best results, use for 10-15 minutes, 2-3 times a day.

Rehabilitation Exercises

If you have a more serious neck injury and you want to speed up your recovery and avoid re-injuring your neck, rehabilitation exercises are a great way to go. These exercises help to strengthen the muscles around your neck, which helps to support the neck and avoid re-injury. These exercises can also help you avoid future issues with your neck and even with other parts of your body by improving the strength and coordination of the muscles in your body. An athletic trainer or physical therapist can help you select the best exercises for your situation, and can also help to create an individualized exercise program that is right for you and your injury. When it comes to neck injuries, especially for athletes and people who engage in contact sports, it’s also very important to do exercises to strengthen the muscles of your core. This can help to reduce the risk of re-injuring the neck and also helps to protect your spine from injury during play.

Neck Braces and Supports

If you have a more serious neck injury and you want to avoid re-injuring your neck, wearing a neck brace or support can be highly useful. A neck brace is designed to immobilize the neck and keep it from moving in the event of a trauma, while a support is more of a bandage-type wrap that applies pressure to the neck to reduce swelling and speed up healing. While these are very helpful in treating more severe neck injuries, they are not suitable for use as a preventive measure. Wearing a support or brace regularly when you’re engaged in sports can help to keep your neck strong and help to prevent injury, but you should take it off when you’re not playing in order to let your neck rest.

Conclusion

The neck is one of the most common sites for sports-related injuries, especially in contact sports like football and hockey. Neck injuries can range from mild to serious, so it’s important to treat them properly to get back to your game as quickly as possible. When you’re dealing with neck pain, it’s important to know that there are many different treatments available that can help you get back to the way you were faster. From simple ice and heat therapy to more involved exercises and even wearing a neck brace or support, there are plenty of ways to treat neck injuries and get back to playing your best.