Taking medications or undergoing physical therapies are just some of the many types of treatments for neck pain and headaches. For some people, they prefer to incorporate additional home-based therapies into their existing treatments while some simply use them alone.

Like any form of treatments, you should always consult your doctor first before using any additional medications or remedies. There are 3 main categories of home therapies that can be used:

1. Heated Cervical Collars

These are devices that will fit around the patient’s in order to minimize movements; at the same time, they will generate penetrating heat that can help to offer significant pain relief from cervicogenic headaches by relaxing the neck muscles.

Some of these collars have self-heating packets that are slotted into the inside pocket of the collar. There are also other types of collars that are heated up in microwave ovens. The main drawback of these heated cervical collars is that they only provide temporary pain relief.

2. Traction Therapies

There are home-based cervical traction devices that are available online or at most medical supply stores.`These devices usually use a combination of pulleys and levers to exert extra force on the affected area.

It is recommended to have at least 2 people around when setting up the device for the first time. For the device to work, it will require the patient to fit his or her head inside a cervical collar and then to stretch the neck upwards in a controlled manner.

The stretching helps to relieve pain on the strained muscles and the device is relatively safe to use.

Take Note

Traction devices are not to be used on children as they are specially designed for adults only.

As the rule of thumb, always follow any instructions or directions 4hat are provided by your doctor as well as to closely follow the directions that came along with the device. As a general practice, most patients will use the device for 10 minutes at a time and they may use it everyday or as according to instructions from their doctors.

3. Neck Exercises

These are a series of neck exercises that one can follow to improve the strength and flexibility. This indirectly aids in relieving the neck pain and headaches and sometimes even to treat them completely.

For Strengthening

Shoulder Retract

1. Start with elbows up and fingers touching both ears.
2. Retract your shoulders to the back and try to squeeze your shoulder blades together.
3. Hold the action for 8 seconds and then release. Do not move your neck.

Shoulder Reach

1. Start by lying on your back and slowly extend both arms towards the ceiling.
2. Then try to push your shoulder blades apart as you are extending your arms straight up.
3. Hold for 8 seconds. Always keep the elbows straight and back against the floor.
4. Gradually increase to hold up to 15 seconds as you progress through the weeks.

Upward Pull

1. Start by standing up straight.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold a towel with both hands in front of your body.
3. Make sure that both palms are facing your body.
4. Like weight-lifting, lift both hands to the chin level and squeeze both shoulder blades together.
5. Hold for 8 seconds.

For Improved Flexibility

Neck Stretch

1. Start by standing up straight.
2. Gently tilt your head to one side and using one hand to hold it position.
3. You should be able`to feel the stretch on the neck muscles.
4. While holding your head, place the other hand behind your back.
5. Hold for 15 seconds and change sides.

Shoulder Blade Raise

1. Start by standing or sitting up straight.
2. Place your right hand on your right shoulder blade, thus raising the elbow.
3. Slowly tilt your head to the left and try to your left shoulder using your chin.
4. Place left hand on top of the head and feel the muscle stretching.
5. Hold for 15 seconds.

Prone Retract

1. Prone or lie down at the corner of the bed with face down and neck relaxed.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Your arms should be bent with elbows raised.
3. Hold for 8 seconds.

Take Note

You can increase the intensity of the above exercises by gradually lengthening the hold period.

Depending on the severity of the neck pain and headaches, home-based treatments are not always the best option. In fact, there are many other options that are available and different people may react differently to different ones. You can read up more about the various treatment options that are available here.

Katherine is a full time nurse at New York and loves reading! She is currently a part time health writer and reviewer with IHealthNet.org. Katherine loves visiting the beach with her 10 year-old son and husband during the weekends. The sun and sea are part of her life.

Katerine Dixon

Author