Neck pain is a very common affliction. More than 2/3 of adults in the US report at least one incidence of neck pain in their lives. It is very easy to strain your neck. You can do this at work, during exercise, even when turning over in bed.

Such a common ailment even has its own little phrase. You may have heard someone referring to their boss or their neighbor as a "pain in the neck." That's because the experience is miserable and common!

What do you do about neck pain, then? There are plenty of different treatments you can try. Home remedies may give some relief, as can physical therapy or treatments like chiropractic or acupuncture.

Medicine is helpful for many sufferers. Over the counter medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) help with pain, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) help also to reduce inflammation. On the other hand, if the pain is caused by a displaced cervical disc, then surgery may be needed.

The choice of what therapy is best will depend on a lot of different factors, including pain cause, intensity, and duration.

In the case of acute neck pain, or pain that comes on suddenly from accident or injury, doctors recommend resting in bed, using cold therapy (ice pack), and immobilizing the neck via neck brace or collar. This is essentially the opposite of treatment for chronic neck pain, which is typically physical therapy and heat therapy.

If you have physical therapy, it will not only address the pain via methods like massage, stretching, exercise, or electrical stimulation, it will also address causes. Your therapist will go over risk factors and preventative care with you.

Research shows that alternative treatment can be quite effective in managing neck pain. A recent European study compared three groups of patients. The group receiving traditional Chinese acupuncture had the most significant pain relief, both short-term and over time. This group fared better than the groups that had massage therapy or laser treatment.

Regardless of your choice of treatment, you need to find a certified professional to provide it. This is important whether you want acupuncture, physical therapy, or massage. If you get someone who doesn't know what they are doing and performs the treatment wrong, you can be further injured. You may also want to consider combining therapies for better results.