Neck pain can be really frustrating, and can be uncomfortable even at rest. It can wreck a Nights sleep and distract you during the day. Here are 7 tips to help ease your neck pain:
- Help your neck, help your posture – Bad posture contributes neck pain and can aggravate symptoms. If you sit at a desk make sure your work station is set up correctly for you, see this article for a healthy desk set up. If you drive make sure your car seat is adjusted to ease loading on your neck joints and muscles.
- Keep moving – Exercise is good for our joints and muscles as well as our hearts. Exercise helps improve blood flow to your neck, nourishing your spine to keep it healthy.
- Pillows – get your pillow height right for you! People often ask how many pillows they need, if any at all. The answer is everyone is different and every pillow varies so there is no correct number. Ideally you want your neck and spine in a neutral position where the neck is not over stretched in any direction, minimising loading on joints, muscles and ligaments. This may take some playing around with. Alternatively you could look to get a Goldilocks Pillow sized just right for you.
- Ditch the Mobile and Look Up – Ok, well maybe not ditch the mobile as I suspect at least 50% of readers are reading from their phone or tablet. But at least hold it higher to avoid bending the neck too far and if you spend a lot of time looking at the phone or tablet give yourself a break and stretch off through your neck.
- Heat or Ice when in Pain – Many people get relief from either warming or cooling the area. Both are good and whichever creates the most relief is the one to stick to. Generally, it’s thought that ice decreases inflammation and heat eases tight muscles. You could even alternate. Take care with both hot and cold to avoid burns (including ice burns) use for up to 5 minutes.
- Have an eye Test – If you find yourself struggling to see clearly and craning forward to read you might want to get your eyes tested to allow you to read without craning. Craning forward can put unnecessary load on your neck joints and muscles resulting in aches and pains.
- Breath from your Diaphragm – Four muscles on each side of the neck (8 total) are referred to as accessory breathing muscles. They lift the chest to help with the intake of air. Breathing from the diaphragm can help take the load off these muscles. Also diaphragm breathing can be therapeutic for stress relief which may help ease tension in the neck. Here’s a great video on Diaphragm Breathing Techniques