Best way to treat a trapped nerve in the neck?

Combination: You should consult a chiropractor (if amenable to it), + massage therapist. Use local warm compresses, NSAID (like naprosyn/aleve), gentle stretches, and could see your dr or urgent care for muscle relaxant. You must "gang up" on necks and backs in order to see quick relief.

A few approaches: Short of surgery, which is not always the best option, conservative approaches do include motorized cervical traction with a skilled physical therapist. (even home traction with the saunders device). Sometimes acupuncture is quite useful.. Osteopathic treatment has been successful. Mckenzie neck exercises may work, and epidural steroid injections could be considered.