Believe it or not, our neck hurts almost every day with us ignoring it all the time. Actually, most of the time, it's our actions that are inviting neck pain. But then, every painful condition can be prevented.In the present times, our daily activities include staring into a desktop/laptop for long hours at job or home, scrolling our mobile screen, carrying out household and other chores all the time, and sleep late at night, that's it. You can guess how much stress our neck joint undergo daily. Henceforth, pain in the neck is a common condition today.
Of course, there are other neck pain causes apart from our lifestyle habits like an injury or trauma, cervical spondylosis, lumbar spondylosis, trapezitis, whiplash or a sudden jolt, sprain or strain during sports, degeneration or wear and tear due to arthritis or old age, etc. but, let's see how you can prevent chronic neck pain with few simple preventive measures.
Sleeping tips
Your sleeping position, mattress, pillow, everything contributes to neck pain. Sleeping on the back is generally considered best for the spine, but for the neck, place a pillow under each arm to take the strain off it. If you have the habit of sleeping sideways, place a pillow of around 4 to 6 inches thick, depending on the density of the pillow material and the distance between the neck and point of the shoulder to prevent your head and neck from turning or bending unnaturally to either side.1. Neck pain from the pillow is awful
Use a pillow that maintains and supports the natural curve of your neck to avoid it. Use a flat or an orthopedic pillow that has a more profound depression where the head lies and provides extra support under the neck. If comfortable, sit in a recliner, or buy an adjustable bed where you can keep the upper part of the body at an incline and use a small or relatively flat pillow.2. Tech-neck tips
Yes, you heard it right, tech-neck is what majority of us suffer from today. Working on a computer or at a desk all day, mobile usage, lesser breaks, all these causes neck pain and stiffness. Well, you can avoid that by making a few changes. Use a chair with a headrest and adjust it at a proper height to prevent yourself from looking down with your neck flexed forward. Adjust your keyboard and monitor as well. If using a laptop, place it at an eye-level position. No matter how comfortable your office chair posture is, get up and move. Perform neck stretches for pain relief.While using mobile or tablet, hold it close to eye level to avoid sloping your head forward or bending your neck down. Buy a holder to give rest to your arms and to elevate your device. Use headset, earbuds, or speakerphone to speak rather than keeping phone between your ear and neck.
3. Lifestyle tips
Keep your neck muscles in good shape by practicing neck pain exercises regularly. Never ignore your neck pain as minor aches can be warning signs of something big. Drink enough water and hydrate the discs—the porous structures that lie between the vertebrae in your neck. Never carry uneven weight on your shoulders as it will cause both neck and shoulder pain. Wear seatbelt to prevent whiplash.There are differences in neck pain too. Make sure you take the right treatment. For example, the neck on the left side indicates inflammation, muscle strain, a pinched nerve, while neck pain on the right side means degeneration or wear and tear, bad sleeping position, etc. Whatever the cause may use electrotherapy device calledSONICTENS for natural neck pain treatment.
Conclusion Making small changes can prevent your neck pain from turning chronic. Keeping your phone away as maximum as possible, taking breaks, exercising, and relaxing is the least you can do to keep your neck joint hale and hearty.