Treatment

There are a number of treatment measures available to help speed recovery from neck and upper back pain including:

Heat or Ice (Burke, 2013)

The application of heat or ice can help alleviate the pain caused by muscle and ligament strain
Ice can slow the swelling and inflammation, while heat can help to increase blood flow

Massage (Patel et al., 2012)

Seeing a registered massage therapist will help relieve neck and upper back pain with minimal risk by improving blood circulation and promoting muscle relaxation

Acupuncture (Trinh et al., 2006)

Research has shown that seeing a registered acupuncturist can help relieve pain

Chiropractic Care (Gross et al., 2015a)

Chiropractic treatment has been shown to be more effective at reducing neck pain in the long term than varied combinations of anti-inflammatories, pain killers, or muscle relaxants

Medications (Ryan, 2013)

Taking over the counter medications such as anti-inflammatories, pain killers, or muscle relaxants can reduce inflammation and relieve pain

Exercises (Gross et al. 2015b)

Strengthening exercises combined with stretching and endurance reduces neck pain
It is important to include strengthening exercises as stretching and endurance type exercises alone are not nearly as effective
For an individualized exercise regimen consult a physiotherapist or a kinesiologist

Rest (Ming, Närhi, & Siivola, 2004)

Take scheduled breaks every hour to move and stretch which will help with circulation
Use a firm mattress and a pillow that will comfortably support your head and neck

References

Burke, S. (2013). Treating back and neck pain from A to Z. Retrieved from http://www.spine-health.com/blog/treating-back-and-neck-pain-a-z

Gross, A., Langevin, P., Burnie, S. J., Bédard-Brochu, M. S., Empey, B., Dugas, E., . . . LeBlanc, F. (2015a). Manipulation and mobilization for neck pain contrasted against an inactive control or another active treatment. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 9, 1–4. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004249.pub4

Gross, A., Kay, T. M., Paquin, J. P., Blanchette, S., Lalonde, P., Christie, T., . . . Santaguida, P. L. (2015b). Exercises for mechanical neck disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1, 1–55. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004250.pub5

Ming, Z., Närhi, M., & Siivola, J. (2004). Neck and shoulder pain related to computer use. Pathophysiology, 11, 51–56. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pathophys.2004.03.001

Patel, K.C., Gross, A., Graham, N., Goldsmith, C. H., Ezzo, J., Morien, A., & Peloso, P. M. J. (2012). Massage for mechanical neck disorders (review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 9, 1–27. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004871.pub4

Ryan, B. (2013). Self care for neck and back pain. Retrieved from http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-self.htm

Trinh, K., Graham, N., Gross, A., Goldsmith, C. H., Wang, E., Cameron, I. D., & Kay, T. M. (2006). Acupuncture for neck disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3, 1–10. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004870.pub3