Almost all us has experienced neck pain at least once in our lives. Though this is a very common and easily treatable but many patients have it as a persistent issue in their lives. If you are one suffering from chronic neck pain, here I am going to provide you with the do’s and don’ts in dealing with your problem. These should help you find an effective solution to your neck pain as it’s mainly because of your current lifestyle preferences.
@1: DO Drink Lots of Water
Though may sound irrelevant to you, but believe me staying hydrated is very important to all parts of body, including the joints or discs that separate our vertebrae. This is because these your gel like disc are mostly made up of water, and drinking lots of water keeps them healthy and reduces the risk of neck pain.
@2: DO NOT Slouch too much
Excessive use of technology is one of the major contributing factor for neck pain these days. Whether it’s WFH situation or entertainment or studies, everyone is sitting with devices. We have a habit to adapt our comforting posture in these scenarios ( which is more of flexing and slouching). So to alleviate your neck pain in these scenarios make sure you have right equipment that will help you work more comfortably such as chairs with ample neck and back support, and keep your monitors at eye level to keep yourself from slouching. If you need to answer the phone, either put it on speaker phone or use a bluetooth headset, instead of holding it between your ear and shoulder.
@3: DO Sleep with the Right Pillow and Position
The pillow height that you need varies according to your preferred sleeping position. If you sleep on your back, you need a softer, flatter pillow. If your head is propped up too much, this can place it in a forward position all night, causing neck strain. When sleeping on your side, you need a slightly firmer pillow that is the right size for your shoulder. Your head and spine should create a line that is level with the bed.
Balance is the key! Be sure not to overcorrect and have your head tilted unnaturally.
#4: DO NOT Sleep on Your Stomach
We understand stiff necks are too painful and don’t let you concentrate in work, but ……if you find yourself every single morning then you definitely look into the posture how you sleeping. Sleeping on stomach puts unnecessary stress over your neck and tbh it’s the worst posture to sleep in. When you sleep on stomach you are forced to turn your head onto a side. And we already know that keeping a posture for prolonged time is the reason for the stressors to develop into your muscles.
So , start sleeping on either your side or back, and you might just notice an improvement with your neck after doing it regularly.
@5: DO Carry Only a Light Bag
Come on your shoulders are not meant to carry all the weight of the world. Whenever we leave house for the day, we usually carry a bag, whatever the kind of bag it may be and try to put everything in that bag (in case of some emergency). But did you know that your bag may have several effects on your neck and posture?
The first & obvious reason is weight: heavier the bag, greater is the impact on posture. Do not overload your bag. Try to bring only the essentials. Second, where you put the weight of your bag matters. Also, if you are the one who places bag on only one shoulder, do you know it can overload your spine and muscles and create muscle tension & strain the neck even more.
So, it is better to use a backpack with two same-level straps to evenly spread out the weight of bag.
@6: DO NOT Look Down at Your Mobile Phone
We live in a generation where we know there is a whole world inside our phone. I mean we can do anything by the help of our phone. I am sure many of you are reading this article on mobile phone only (don’t worry even I wrote this on phone only). It may seem natural and effortless for you to check your phone now and then, but that is not the case for your neck. Looking down at an angle about 60°, while using your phone, strains the neck by approx 500%.
As you do that throughout the day, it may have long-term effects on the anatomy of your spine. So, lift your HEAD UP along with your phone.
@7: Regular check on Upper Cervical Alignment
Even a slight misalignment in the upper cervical area can cause long-term neck problems. It helps in balancing and moving your skull. It is important to know if you have any problem in this area and to find the earliest, safest and gentlest way to relieve it as soon as possible.
Physical therapist/Chiropractors use a technique involving low-force adjustments to correct upper cervical misalignments. They do not crack or pop the spine to provide you relief, which makes upper cervical chiropractic care a safe and gentle way to relieve neck pain for people of all ages and health status.
If you have chronic neck pain, consider meeting an expert for the scientific and most reliable solution for your neck instead of neglecting it for long.
| Tags: | #Neckpain, #Pain, #Physiotherapy, #Spine |
