Question:
I have general neck pain almost constantly. How does one live with neck pain? I need some advice. How to sleep, exercises, anything.

Answer:

have more or less constant neck pain due to Psoriatic Arthritis. I go to the PT every week, getting heat packs, massage and laser therapy. Also occational ultrasound.

I try to strech my neck every day. I put one hand on one side of the neck and the other on the head, pulling carefully to the side which are supported by the hand. Unfortunately I have problems doing that right now due to shoulders, elbows and wrists, but I try to do it as often as I can. I also put my hands on the back of my head, streching the neck forwards (carefully). I try to move the head from side to side, then back and forth several times a day to prevent stiffness. I have been told that rolling is harmful.

I also try to get down on the (wooden) floor to lie on my stomach for a while to strech the upper back. A towel or something like that under the forehead is useful if you can`t bend your head to the side. In bed I use a special neck pillow called Tempur. I have heard others recommend Buckwheat pillows. Can`t live without that. I find that sleeping on my back is best. Sleeping on the stomach is difficult when the neck is stiff and on the side if the shoulders/hips are bad.

I find that the neck get the best kind of rest while I sleep on my back. In my recliner and also in bed I have an elecrical heat pillow. Then it is easy to use, and I use it off and on each day. I also use to heat a damp towel in the microwave to wrap around my neck. I haven`t tried the rice heat pack yet, but will. You put some rice inside a sock or a case you make from an old towel, then microwave it for 3 minutes. It is suppose to stay hot for about 30 minutes. I find that using heat relieves the muscle pain as well as the arthritic pain. It also makes the muscles softer. My PT also advices me to use a neck brace, but I hate using it

---

---