Intro

If pain or other symptoms start to worsen, call your doctor or immediately go to a hospital emergency department.

• For milder cases, basic home care measures (see above) are adequate until your doctor can see you.
• In many cases, simple injuries, such as strains and bruises, heal themselves and do not require an office visit.
• If you have severe or worsening pain, weakness, numbness, coolness, deformity, or color changes, you should go to a hospital emergency department immediately.
• If you develop a high fever   (temperature, >102.5°F), severe headache  , chest pain  , shortness of breath  , dizziness  , nausea, or sweatiness, call 911 for emergency services to go to the nearest emergency department by ambulance.

Self-Care at Home

Minor injuries that have only slight pain can be treated at home. If the source of the pain and the cause of the pain are not known, or if symptoms suggest you might have a more serious condition, you should contact your doctor while initiating basic care measures.

• Rest: Use the injured area as little as possible for the first 2-3 days, then slowly begin to exercise the injured area. This speeds recovery.
• Ice: Place the ice in a plastic bag, wrap the bag with a towel, and then apply to the injured area for 15-20 minutes every hour. Directly applying ice can damage the skin.
• Elevation: Elevation of the injured area above your heart helps the swelling go down. This reduces your pain. Use pillows to prop yourself up.
• Pain control: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can help control swelling and pain.
• Heat: Do not use heat in the first week because it can increase the swelling in the injured area and worsen your pain.

Follow-up

Timely follow-up visits to your doctor plus following his or her recommendations will enable you to recover faster.

Prevention

• To prevent injuries, examine your home for potential hazards and correct them to reduce the chance of accidental injury.
• When performing hazardous tasks, have someone present to reduce the likelihood of injury. For example, when climbing a ladder, have someone hold the base of the ladder to keep it from sliding to either side.
• Know your limitations. Do not perform activities that you do not have the training, skills, tools, or strength to accomplish.
• Wear seat belts and use other safety equipment to reduce injuries.

Outlook

Because most neck and shoulder pain is caused by sprains and strains  , you can expect a full recovery or to recover with minor limitations on your activities.

Some conditions require hospitalization, surgical repair, physical therapy, or other rehabilitative measures. The extent of recovery may be complete or limited. Some conditions can be recurrent or persistent; thus, you should have a treatment plan to learn how to deal with and adapt to any limitations.