Women are affected more often than men, and while the symptoms tend to go away on their own, they may recur. Unfortunately, in about 1 in 10 people with recurring neck pain, the pain becomes chronic.
Neck pain can sometimes not be a condition, but a symptom for an underlying condition. One of the most common triggers in the 21st century is working at a desk job over a long period.
We’re going to tackle how you can get rid of neck pain and share the best exercises you can do at work to reduce neck pain.
You can take our short quiz to see if a memory foam pillow is a good option for you!
Depending on the cause, there are numerous ways to treat neck pain.
The most common types of mild to moderate neck pain usually respond well to self-care within two or three weeks. If neck pain persists, your doctor might recommend other treatments.
Your doctor may tell you and prescribe you to take some medication for pain, typically stronger than what you can get over the counter, as well as tricyclic antidepressants and muscle relaxants.
Physical therapists can help you by teaching you strengthening exercises, correct posture, and alignment practices. They also use heat, ice, and electrical stimulation, and other measures to ease pain and prevent it from coming back.
TENS is used to relieve pain for several different types of illnesses and conditions. They often use it to treat muscle, joint, or bone problems that occur with illnesses such as osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia, or for conditions such as low back pain, neck pain, tendinitis, or bursitis.
Traction makes use of weights, pulleys, or an air bladder to stretch your neck gently. This has been proven to provide relief from neck pain. You must only use this procedure under the advice and supervision of a medical professional.
One way of relieving the pain on the neck is to put on a soft collar and remove so of the pressure that is put on it. This is known as short-term immobilization. However, if the method is used too often, like for more than three hours at a time or more than a week or two, it could do more harm than good.
Your doctor may prescribe you corticosteroid injections, which are administered near the nerve roots, into the smaller facet joints in the bones of the cervical spine, or into the muscles of the neck to relieve pain. Numbing medications can also be injected to help with the pain.
Although rarely needed for neck pain, surgery might be an option for relieving nerve root or spinal cord compression.
Maintaining good posture by sitting up straight, although seemingly very obvious, is an important way to prevent pain.
We should make it a point to be mindful of our posture, as we do tend to slouch during some instances of the day. Rotate your shoulders back. Hold for a few seconds, relax and repeat the move 3 or 4 times.
Another exercise that feels great and can be done from either a sitting or standing position is to pull your arms backward and, with fingertips pointing down, rest them on your buttocks. Then try to pinch your shoulder blades together. Hold for a few seconds. Relax and repeat 4 times.
You can do this exercise when sitting or standing. Look straight ahead. Then, look down at the floor for a few seconds and then up at the ceiling for a few seconds. Now turn your head very slowly to the right as far as you can. Hold for 3 seconds. Return your head to the center and maintain this position for 3 seconds.
Next, turn your head to the left and hold for 3 seconds. Finally, bring your head back to the center. Repeat 4 times.
Sit up straight, facing forward. Tilt your head to the right and try to touch your right ear to your right shoulder. Hold for a few seconds. Relax and straighten your head. Now tilt your head to the left and try to touch your left ear to your left shoulder. Repeat 3 or 4 times.
To start, sit up straight in a chair with your shoulders back. Next, pull your chin back toward your neck. Bring your chin in but not down, and look straight in front of you. Hold this for 5 seconds. Repeat these 10 times and do this exercise once a day.
Start by tilting your chin up instead of dropping it down as you turn your head slightly to the right side. Your chin should be lifted. Hold for 20 seconds. Now turn it slowly to the left, bringing your chin up as you look toward the ceiling. Don’t lift your shoulders as you turn. Do this exercise 3 times on each side
Stand up and lift your elbows out to your sides. Rest your hands on the back of your head. Pull your elbows back slightly while stretching out your spine. Your eyes should be looking ahead. Hold this for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Memory foam, also known as Viscoelastic polyurethane foam, is a very well-known material used in mattresses and pillow. Memory foams help get rid of the aches and pains that the sleeper feels in their most sensitive area.
Memory foam works by taking the form of your body when in contact with your body heat and goes back to its original form the moment it cools down.
You get better sleep than usual when you use memory foam. This is because the support that a memory foam pillow gives you helps you sleep in the best position for your spine: one that supports the natural curve of your cervical spine. The cervical spine is made up of the first seven bones that make up your neck
Memory foams come in many different shapes and sizes, each designed to help with a specific part of your body, from the traditional puffy rectangles to a curved orthopedic model designed for back and side sleepers.
Gravity keeps your body centred over your spine as you sleep on your back and keeps the banana-shaped curve of your neck intact. Experts say that if you’re a back sleeper, you should use a small, rounded neck roll to support your neck and a flatter pillow to support the rest of your head. You can do this by combining a few different types of pillows, or by using a contoured memory foam one.
The pillow should be slightly higher under the neck than it is under your head for the side sleepers out there. You want to keep your chin straight ahead in a neutral position if you sleep on your side.
However, some people tuck their chin into a fetal position, which forces the head forward, potentially causing pain. Studies have shown that a contoured memory foam pillow can help support your chin in the correct posture.
A horseshoe-shaped memory foam pillow is best for those who often sleep on planes or in cars. It can support your neck so it doesn’t drop uncomfortably far to one side. Just make sure it’s not too high in the back, or it’ll push your head forward as you doze.
A memory foam pillow is a smart investment for office workers, students, and people who often experience neck pain at work or anytime during the day.
It alleviates neck pain within a few days and gives you a good night's sleep, allowing you to become more productive at work and at home.
