PAIN (ACUTE PHASE)

Ice or heat? Ice! (It's almost always ice.) If you take the back of your hand and touch the area of pain, you'll likely find that the area is warmer than the other areas of your spine. If heat is present, there's no need to add more.

If you're taking over-the-counter medications to help inflammation, adding heat will make them less productive while ice will only improve upon the effects.

Ice for no more than 20 minutes per hour on the mid and lower back and no more than 15 minutes on the neck. Icing longer than this may have the opposite effect from what is intended. The blood vessels will only constrict for so long, and leaving the ice on will eventually cause them to open up -- just as if you've applied heat.

Do not apply ice directly to your skin. Place a layer of paper towels or a hand towel to your skin before placing ice on your area of pain.

A bag of frozen peas makes for a good homemade ice pack, but don't eat the peas afterward. Small ice packs are available in the office for $20, while large ice packs are $30.

We know you want to get back to exercising and your daily routines, but you don't want to make things worse. Take this time to rest for at the least the next few days, maybe a week.

When you're ready to resume normal activities, check with your chiropractor. They will be able to suggest modifications or a schedule as to how quickly you can return to doing the things you love to do.

We want you to stay active, so realize if we ask you to rest, it's for a good reason.

Especially when dealing with the neck, support the area whenever possible by propping up your head with pillows. With the lower back, placing pillows behind your back or under your knees can provide a lot of additional relief.

Your doctors can provide more specific tips if you're having trouble finding a comfortable position. The goal is when you're at rest, you're not creating any strain on the injured area. 

Ice is best, but sometimes it's not convenient. Follow the directions on the back of the medicine bottles and any directions from your medical doctor regarding conflicts with any medications you are already taking.

In most cases, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) works best for neck and back pain, especially when you can feel heat or inflammation around the area of pain.

Tylenol typically works best for headaches, but can become toxic in your body after a couple of weeks. So, again, use sparingly.

Naproxen (Aleve) is usually better for long-term, chronic problems that you know are going to be achy and sore all day.