HOW TO TREAT NECK PAIN YOURSELF

HOW TO TREAT NECK PAIN YOURSELF

Neck pain is one of the leading causes of disability globally. Its symptoms include neck stiffness, shoulder or arm pain, headache, numbness or weakness in the arm or forearm, tingling in the fingers or hand.

Some common causes of neck pain are:

• Poor posture: Long periods of time spent slouching or hunched over a computer screen can lead to forward head posture, which places extra stress on the neck. Repeatedly looking straight down at a phone or tablet may also cause pain.

• Sleeping in an awkward position: If the head is held at a bad angle or twists wrong during the night, a stiff neck might be present in the morning.

• Repetitive motions: Turning the head in a repetitive manner, such as side to side while dancing or swimming, may lead to overuse of the neck’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

• Trauma: This is in jury to the neck due to fall or impact, such as a sports collision or whiplash from a motor vehicle accident.
• Cervical degenerative disc disease: The intervertebral discs gradually lose hydration and the ability to cushion the spine’s vertebrae over time. If a disc degenerates enough, for some people it can lead to pain in various ways, such as a herniated disc, pinched nerve, or changes in the facet joints that can cause osteoarthritis.
• Emotional stress: Stress, anxiety, and low social support can contribute to neck pain.

• Infection: If part of the cervical spine becomes infected, inflammation could cause neck pain. One example is meningitis.

No doubt living with neck pain can be miserable, making it hard to focus and get through the day but do not get discouraged.

Here are things you can do yourself to ease your neck pain:

• Maintain proper posture when standing and sitting, be sure your shoulders are in a straight line over your hips and your ears are directly over your shoulders.
• Sleep in a good position your head and neck should be aligned with your body. Use a small pillow or cervical under your neck. Try sleeping on your back with your thighs elevated on pillows, which will flatten your spinal muscles.
• Take frequent breaks if you travel long distances or work long hours at your computer, get up, move around and stretch your neck and shoulders. Do not maintain a position or posture for a prolonged period of time.
• Adjust your desk, chair and computer so that the monitor is at eye level. Knees should be slightly lower than hips. Use your chair’s armrests. Do not slouch or hunch your shoulders.
• Avoid tucking the phone between your ear and shoulder when you talk. Use a headset or speakerphone instead.
• Avoid carrying heavy bags with straps over your shoulder the weight can strain your neck.
• Apply hot or cold packs around the painful of your neck for about 20 minutes. A cold pack can be used when there is swelling or in the first 48 hours of injury while a hot pack can be used when there is stiffness and tension around the neck.

Do not use a hot pack if neck pain is from an infection or tumour

• If you smoke, quit smoking can put you at higher risk of developing neck pain.
• Do deep breathing exercises to relieve stress, induce relaxation and ease tension in the muscles.
• Do slow range-of-motion exercises, up and down, side to side, and from ear to ear. This helps gently stretch the neck muscles.

For more information on how to manage your neck pain, we are hereto help out, you can call or visit at:

Phone No: +234 811 885 6060 || +234 909 860 4470

Effective Physiotherapy & Fitness Clinic
Address: No. 2 Ajumgobia Close, Kado Estate, Abuja
Call: +23480 3436 5055 | +234 909 860 4470