Suggestions for getting rid of a kink in the neck for ds13?

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Ds13 has a kink in his neck and has had it since last night. He is noticeably hurting. He unfortunately has a swim meet all weekend starting Friday night!

He swam today and said it didn't bother him too much but I am worried because he is a distance swimmer and he swam short sprints today in practice, rotating skills. Tomorrow night he will only be swimming freestyle and he has a 1000 and another race.

What is your best suggestion for getting rid of a sore neck?
He has tried heat and Tylenol.

[Jean in Newcastle]

The best fix is a chiropractor. But the heat and Tylenol (or Advil) should help some.

[Kate CA]

I second the chiro, but until then, fill a sock with rice, tie it off with a knot or string and warm in the microwave. It can be reused over and over. Any hard grain will work. Ours has flax seeds in it.

Also, do use ibuprofen for a muscle relaxer. Both of these have helped me over and over.

I hope he does well in his meet!

Warmly,
Kate

[Volty]

Massage the neck gently along the muscles, apply presure points where it's particularly tense and see a chiropractor. I'm not one for pill popping, but to each his/her own.

[Melinda in VT]

I've had great luck with a massage therapist. It might be quicker to get in to see one than to see a chiropractor.

[LNC]

I get these a lot. I use advil (4 pills is prescription strength). Works much better than tylenol for pain - for me. I also use muscle pain cream that heats up. I use the Walmart off brand, it gets really hot and makes it feel sooo much better. If it is really bad - I have flexeril, a muscle relaxer on hand.

If advil and muscle cream don't work - I would call a doc. HTH!

[lynn]

nt

[Tammyla]

We use hot showers, gentle massage and stretching here. Tylenol in a pinch. Hope he feels better

[OnTheBrink]

Chiropractor. Heat may feel better, but ice will reduce any swelling. Alternate ice and heat and I bet a chiro would work him in right away.

[Amy in NH]

I had a horrible kink a couple of weeks ago so that I couldn't really move my head or my left arm at all. Here's what fixed it:

On the side where the kink is, turn your head until you start to feel the kink hurt.
Using the hand from the same side, apply pressure to your head while pressing your head into your hand in the direction of the kink.
This is a pressure/counter-pressure movement. Because you're pressing your head back with your hand, it shouldn't move beyond that point of initial pain. Apply a good amount of force with head/hand, and hold for 30 seconds. Do this 3-4 times every couple of hours. It amazingly will release the kinked muscle.

My kink was severe enough that it took me a couple of days of doing this to make the kink go away, but it felt noticeably better each time I did the pressure movement. I still had one spot down my back that was hurting for a whole week afterward. What fixed it for good was to lay on a cylinder on the floor (think large pool noodle) and roll back and forth shoulder-to-waist wise over the sore spot (feet flat, knees up, hold arms crossed across the chest).

My BIL is a sports-medicine coach, and he has lots of great tricks like these.

Hope he feels better soon!