Next to back pain, neck pain is most troubling. It causes a lot of discomfort and upsets our normal work. In some cases, neck pain may go away after a few days of applying home remedy. The more severe ones are chronic and you may need professional help to reduce the pain or drive it away for good.
Your neck’s flexibility makes it susceptible to injury and pain. Neck pain is usually caused by sprains and injuries around your cervical spine – in the muscles, tendons and ligaments. Many of the activities you do can lead to having neck pain.
Causes of Neck Pain
Some of the causes of neck pain are:
- Repetitive movements of the head and neck for a long time straining the muscles and joints
- Twisted position of the neck during sleeping, usually when sleeping on your abdomen
- Sitting for a long time stalling the vertebral muscles and bones and slowing body metabolism
- Injury from car accidents and sports and falls resulting in whiplash and other injuries
- Aging leading to the deterioration of the bones and joints
- Poor posture and obesity causing weak abdominal muscles, upsetting spinal balance and making the head to tilt forward to compensate
Effective Tips to Prevent Neck Pain
We can prevent neck pain by observing the following tips:
- Use cervical or orthopedic type of pillows when sleeping. These pillows are designed to provide full support to the space under your head and under the neck.
- Sleep on your back. This is the finest position for your spine to rest. Avoid turning your neck and head and neck to just one side by using a pillow 4 to 6 inches high.
- When working on your computer, position the computer screen directly eye-level. Additionally, sit comfortably with your back pressed against the back rest.
- Do neck strengthening and stretching exercises to keep your neck muscles strong.
- Use telephone headset especially when talking on the phone for a long time.
- Drink plenty of water regularly. Water, mostly, make up the disks between your vertebrae in your spine.
- Avoid carrying heavy weight. Also carry weight evenly on your two shoulders.
- Maintain god posture. The advantage of proper posture cannot be overemphasized in maintaining healthy postural muscles and associated muscles and joints.
- Avoid injuries from accident by being safety-conscious and prudent.
Through observing proper personal health care and maintenance and exercising prudence, we can have strong muscles and body and avoid the detrimental effects of physical abuse such as neck pain. It is our own personal responsibility.