Chronic pain in the neck and back is one of the most common reasons that people have to go on disability social security. It is hard to give up a career that you have spent your entire life building, but it is even harder trying to live on a fraction of the income you were once able to earn. Aside from the financial issues, back and neck pain cause you to miss out on many of the things you enjoy doing.

Some back and neck problems can be corrected by surgery, but in some cases surgical procedures can be avoided with the proper physical or occupational therapy. In the case of lower back pain, the number one recommended treatment is walking. Physical therapists can also recommend other therapies and exercises that can be extremely helpful.

The proper therapy can reduce your pain as well as your dependence on pain medications. If you are taking prescription drugs for your back and neck pain, there are serious side effects associated with these medications, especially when they are used over a long period of time. There is also a risk of developing an addiction to strong pain killers.

Back and neck pain are usually triggered by an injury. Sometimes the injury is sustained in an impact, but in many cases it is caused by repetitive motions or overworking a certain part of the body. Resting the injury, unless it is very serious, is usually a temporary recommendation. After the injury has had time to heal, proper back and neck therapy is recommended to strengthen the area that was injured.

Using the area of the body that is injured in a normal way is not the same as back and neck therapy provided by a professional therapist. The therapeutic movements are designed to strengthen the muscles and make them more flexible. The combination of strength and flexibility greatly reduces the pain that the patient is currently experiencing as well as helping to prevent further injury.

In some cases, the therapist will recommend that the patient get a special mattress or pillow to help them. These therapeutic pillows do not only help during the night, they will give you a better night of rest and help your back and neck to feel better all of the time. Many of these products are available to consumers without a prescription.

Lying in bed for days at a time is almost never recommended for people who are experiencing back and neck pain. The lack of mobility and exercise will actually increase the level of pain, and loosing muscle tone will make the injury more likely to recur.