How to Ease Neck Pain with a Hot Sock

Neck pain can cause daily strife. While you could be spending your time enjoying a movie with a loved one or reading a book, your mind keeps going back to the pain. Although you could take prescription or over-the-counter pain medications, these can often make you drowsy. Narcotic pain relievers even run the risk of addiction.

Fortunately, there is a method you can use to ease your neck pain without taking medicine. Hot socks are homemade devices that conform to the curves of your neck and shoulder. The heat from the hot sock soothes the aches in your neck, reducing or eliminating pain.

How to Make a Hot Sock

To make your hot sock, you'll need a clean, knee-length sock and a few cups of uncooked rice.

First, fill up the sock with rice. If you need help adding the rice to the sock, enlist a friend to hold it open or use a wide-mouthed funnel. Fill up the sock until it is half-filled with rice. You'll need extra space within the sock if you want it to form around your sore neck.

Once you've filled the sock halfway with rice, tie of the open end of the sock with a sturdy knot. Get the knot as close to the end of the sock as possible.

That's it! Your hot sock is now ready to help ease your neck pain.

Using the Hot Sock

Now that you have the hot sock prepared, it's time to heat it up. Pop the rice-filled sock into the microwave. The amount of time you microwave it for depends on how filled the sock is, as well as the power of the appliance. For best results, try between 2 and 3 minutes.

Take the hot sock out of the microwave and drape it around the neck and shoulders. Since the sock was only half-filled it will mold itself around your neck. Go about your daily activities. The hot sock will stay in place as you watch television or work at your desk. As the heat from the hot sock seeps into your skin, it loosens the tight muscles in your neck and shoulders.

The heat should last for five minutes or longer before cooling down. Any time you need to soothe your aching neck muscles, reuse the same hot sock in your microwave. You can even bring it with you to work or on vacation if you have easy access to a microwave.