How to Use Prescription Drugs to Treat Neck Pain

The use of prescription drugs to treat neck pain is not a common practice. As a whole, doctors shy away from prescribing medication for neck pain unless tests have been done and it is determined that the patient truly needs assistance in dealing with the discomfort. This is primarily because of the fact that the prescription drugs available to treat neck pain tend to be rather strong and have some significant secondary effects.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Choose the Right Type of Prescription Medication

1. Use oral steroids for acute neck pain that does not respond to over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Keep in mind that steroids should not be taken for more than one week.

2. Tell your doctor whether you are a diabetic or have an active infection, as steroids interfere with certain natural processes of the body and can cause serious side effects.

3. Ask your doctor about narcotic pain medications if you have suffered a recent injury and the pain has become debilitating.

4. Tell your doctor if have a history of drug consumption or addiction, as narcotics can become addictive. While they may be helpful for shorter time periods, addiction becomes more tolerable with extended use.

5. Keep in mind that narcotic drugs cannot be used for more than 10 to 14 days, as the body eventually becomes tolerant to the medication and the narcotics no longer work.

6. Consider muscle relaxants to treat neck pain caused by muscle spasms. This is especially useful in people who are under severe stress and stand to benefit from the overall calming effect of muscle relaxants.

7. Do not take muscle relaxants if you have a job that requires driving, attention to detail or balance. Your performance capacity may be significantly diminished when taking this type of medication.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have tried at-home remedies to deal with neck pain without results, ask your doctor about the possibility of undergoing a series of tests to rule out serious medical problems, such as disk rupture or complications from migraines.
• Many of the prescription medications available for neck pain can be addictive, so they should be taken only under the close supervision of a physician. Some of them can also have serious side effects, such as stomach ulcers, high blood sugar and drowsiness.
• Do not stop the use of prescription pain relievers without the approval of your doctor. Many medications used to treat acute pain require that the patients are weaned off them gradually to avoid distress.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.

[kcwriter]

on 8/13/2007 Some people must take narcotic pain relievers for longer than 10 to 14 days for chronic pain. Not all of them will develop a tolerance within that time, but if they do, their doctor should determine whether to increase the doseage. For more information on tolerance, dependancy, and addiction please see www.webmd.com/pain-management/drug-tolerance-addiction