Your neck pain doesn’t have to be a pain in the neck. Literally. As a result of several culprits like poor posture while working, whiplash after a car accident, repetitive motion, or even sleeping in a bad position—it is possible to overcome neck pain and get back on your feet in no time.
First, we need to understand the most common causes of neck pain:
1. Poor posture. Speaking of hunched positions, bad posture raises the chances of developing neck and shoulder problems. Bad form is often characterized by putting your head forward which slants the neck area. This puts stress on the muscles, joints, and the connecting tissues of not only your neck but the upper torso or chest area as well.
2. Whiplash. Mainly caused by car accidents, but it can also result from sports and physical trauma. Sudden movements with great force can stretch the neck’s soft tissues beyond its normal range of motion.
3. Repetitive motion. Overuse of the neck muscles can trigger muscle strain which is a painful feeling, owing to hours hunched on the computer or the TV, mannerisms such as gritting your teeth or reading in bed.
4. Sleeping in a bad position. Poor sleeping habits can cause neck pain or make it worse. For example, sleeping on your stomach forces the head to one side and puts pressure on your neck compared to sleeping on your back or sideways as it puts less strain on the neck.
If you are experiencing any of these, it would be best to consult your doctor so he can diagnose your condition. But there are simple things you can do to manage the neck pain:
Improve your posture
Be mindful of your posture, and straighten out of that default hunched form!
Get yourself a chair with neck support
At work or in your car, try to keep your cervical spine in a neutral position with a headrest.
Apply ice on the painful areas
In 20-minute intervals on the first day of the neck pain, apply ice or cold packs to ease inflammations in the area.
Try heat therapy
Heat from a cloth dipped in warm water provides a good blood flow into the area of application.
Get a massage
A good massage can stimulate blood flow and temporarily ease the pain.
Take a pain reliever
Drink an over-the-counter pain reliever like Ibuprofen + Paracetamol (ALAXAN® FR). It has Fast Relief formula that works in as fast as 15 minutes against body pain, so you can focus on finishing your tasks for the day.
Equipped with proper ways on how to manage neck pain, now you can keep your head up, focused and determined to keep moving towards your goal each day.
If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.
ASC Reference Code: U175P061820AS
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/neck-pain/overview.html
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Neck-pain/Pages/Introduction.aspx
https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/can-changing-my-sleep-habits-help-with-neck-pain
