Generally, the tasks we perform every day are not too gentle to our neck. We all know the feeling of discomfort that we get by holding the phone between our ear and shoulder. Also, people who have a desk job are familiar with the muscle stiffness that you get after using the computer. Unlike most body aches, neck pain does not start suddenly. Usually, it increases over time.
For in-depth knowledge, you must know the simple facts about the region of your neck. Basically, it has a spinal canal and a cervical spine. Moreover, it comprises seven bones separated from each other by discs like structure known as intervertebral discs. Due to these discs, the back moves at your will. During any physical exercise, they work to absorb the shock for your entire body.
Neck pains begin initially at your cervix and may be accompanied by serious pain down your arms. Because of this, various disorders related to any tissues present in the neck, joint, bone, ligament, nerve, or muscle can occur. According to research, at some stage of their life, almost eight people out of 10 are prone to back or neck pain.
Mainly, there are two types of pain that are acute and chronic pain. In simple words, acute pain can happen abruptly. The pain is intense and lessens after several days or weeks. On the other hand, some people experience this pain even after surgical or non-surgical treatment. The pain that continues for a longer period is known as chronic pain.
According to AICA, an orthopaedic hospital conditions like arthritis, narrowing of the passage of the spine, muscle inflammation, stiffness, disc degeneration, or trauma may give rise to neck pain as well. Rarely, it may be a symptom of cancer or meningitis.
Apart from that, there are many factors, such as age, injury, bad posture. A sudden injury to the neck is dangerous, as it contributes to disc herniation, whiplash, nerve damage, vertebral injury. To help you avoid such painful disorders, we have picked some information for you. Scroll down to read these pointers on neck pain.
Avoid poor sleeping posture
In order to let your spinal cord rest when you fall into a peaceful sleep, the perfect position is to lie down at your back. However, people who have neck problems may get an advantage from it. Before you sleep, keep a pillow under each arm. When you sleep with a pillow to support your arms, it doesn’t cause your neck strain. Nevertheless, for some people, neck or back pain makes it difficult to sleep in this position. Thus, do it only if you can.
For patients with spinal arthritis or stenosis, sleeping in an inclined position is more comfortable. They can place a wedge pillow on their bed. Another option is to buy an adjustable bed.
Those who like to sleep on one side can use a pillow that is not high. In general, a foam pillow with 3 to 6 inches thickness is better. The next thing is to keep the right distance between the neck and the shoulder. The correct height prevents your head and neck from bending unnaturally.
Neck strain from using smartphones
When you type a message or look down at the screen of your mobile device for a prolonged time, it puts tension on your neck muscles.
If this activity continues, it may cause stress on your tissues, joints, and intervertebral discs in your neck. Due to this excessive strain, degenerative variations may take place in your neck. So, in the list of our tips, avoiding neck injury from texting comes at number two. You can easily change this habit by holding the phone at eye level. Minimise your texting time, as extensive use of any electronic device, can have adverse effects. You can also look for excellent neck exercises equipment.
If it is crucial to use your phone or any other device, put it on a pillow and start taking regular breaks. Because this happens frequently in this generation, professionals address this issue on every platform. The term text neck has become famous among people. In short, it defines the repetitive stress injury that is caused by over usage of smart devices with the head tilted in the downward position without moving.
Be careful while lifting heavy things
We all think that we know the proper and safe way of lifting things. But, sometimes, it is not the case. In some situations, a simple lift can cause a neck injury. Therefore, for safely lifting weights, you need to be careful other than just bending your knees.
Commonly, people carry a heavy bag or folder on the single side of the body. As a consequence, an unbalanced load causes your shoulders to become uneven. This is how people end up straining their neck muscles.
To avoid this, make sure to lighten the burden by only putting the essential items in your bag. After that, ensure that you keep your shoulder joints at the same level all the time when you lift the weight. You can use a rucksack to smoothly distribute the weight of the stuff you are taking with you. This act balances the weight on your shoulders.
Takeaway
The perfect way of getting better from acute body pains is by limiting your activities. Also, take medications that are effective for it. Now we know that body pains occur because of muscle strain. In fact, acute pain goes away by itself after a few weeks. Otherwise, with simple home remedies, neck pain recovers over some time.
If the neck pain gets severe, go to a healthcare physician or a neck specialist like a brain surgeon. You must not ignore these problems. Only a correct diagnosis or prescribed treatment can help you with body aches. For instance, arthritis may lead to the decay of your bones or any joints of the spine. That causes disc herniation or bony growths to form.
Herniated discs or abnormal bone growths often cause the spinal canal to narrow down. Consequently, this builds pressure on the spinal cord or the nerves that lead to unbearable radiating pain. If an individual doesn’t treat these disorders on time, it may result in paralysis.
Ellen Diamond did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.
