Neck Pain

Neck pain can be very painful and sometimes debilitating.  Neck pain can cause headaches, reduced range of motion and eventually structural issues along the spine if not taken care of properly.

Neck pain can result instantly from a trauma such as a car accident resulting in whiplash or can be developed over time due to poor posture.  If your neck pain is not the result of an accident it could be from sleeping on an improper pillow for your posture, extending your neck to work over a computer, tilting your neck while on the phone for hours during a day, carrying a heavy purse or pack on one side of your body and the list goes on.  Pay close attention to your posture to see where you might be making a mistake that could be contributing to your neck pain.
Neck pain should be diagnosed by a professional and take care to follow their directions on easing the pain and then a course to correct the underlying issue.
Some easy tricks to ease pain are:

1)  If there inflammation in the neck muscles due to muscle strain try freezing a water bottle and covering it with a small towel.  Place at the curve in the neck while you are lying down comfortably.  The water bottle is a perfect size and shape for the curve in the neck. 
2) Neck wraps made of rice and flax are a great way to bring warm, moist heat to stiff muscles in the neck. 

They promote blood flow to the area and are comfortable and supportive to use.
There are a variety of neck stretches and strength building exercises for the neck.  A qualified professional should be contacted to determine what should be started for your particular situation.  It is usually recommended to stretch and relieve the tightness prior to performing strength building exercises.