Neck pain is something that can develop overnight and freeze your neck in a certain position. I have experienced it so many times and being a witness, I can say that it makes you feel very uncomfortable for as long as it stays. It makes the movement of the neck and head difficult and gives a feeling of stiffness, distracting you from your work. A lot of the times we don’t even know the reason behind the pain. However, it can be prevented by finding out the problem so that it can be avoided. It’s not always only because of wrong neck position. There can be various reasons. Here are a few:
⦁ Improper posture may cause neck pain
This includes, but is not limited to, continuous movement of the neck which causes strain, relating overused muscles. For example, keeping your neck in an awkward position for a long time can leave the muscles in its place and you may feel neck pain when you try to move it. Usually, this happens when you are either watching TV for too long or you sit on your computer for a long time period with neck stretched closer to the screen. In other cases, this also happens when one falls asleep with neck placed on the pillow in an uncomfortable position. This is one of the most common factors causing the neck pain.
Another cause of neck pain can be exercise. Yes, if you do an exercise the wrong way, it can cause neck pain. Not every exercise can make it happen, but the exercises that involve your upper body have a higher risk. This is why you need a proper trainer to guide you with angles. A lot of the times, we start following exercises from videos but end up practicing the wrong angle which is actually pretty dangerous!
⦁In other cases, injuries can also cause neck pain. Falling off may cause your neck to twist in an awkward position or it may give your neck a jerk. Other factors include aging, illness or other chronic conditions and these need to be monitored by physiotherapists so its highly recommended to consult one in such cases.
While not every kind of pain can be prevented, the good news is that it can surely be treated! Luckily, neck pain is mostly non-serious and can be taken care of mostly with some muscle exercises, if not heating muscles. So here are a few tricks along with neck exercises that would help you to work up those neck muscles:
⦁ Take a hot water pack and place it at the back of your neck
This will help you majorly in getting relief from neck pain. I often apply this one especially when I feel my muscles are getting sore. The same practice can be carried out in other ways too such as, warming a thick piece of cloth, preferably towel and placing it on the neck. This also passes heat to your muscles and lets you relax. Relax your muscles by first taking a hot bath, then simply place the hot water bottle on your back.
⦁ If the pain has occurred overnight, then try to change your pillow. Use a pillow that is firm and not too fluffy. Lie down on your back and let your neck muscle relax like that.
⦁ Neck Exercises:
⦁ Stretching:
The most common and effective neck exercise that physicians recommend is the movement of the neck in different positions. You will have to make an effort and feel discomfort in the beginning but it is good for your neck. Move it right to left and up and down, in all directions. Make clockwise movements as well as anti clockwise movements but don’t go too fast. Start slowly and keep it firm.
⦁ Strengthening:
Chin Tuck exercise is the type of exercise that strengthens your muscles. Ideally, it is recommended to repeat it several times a day to let the muscle repair. It helps in pain relief and moves your head back in alignment, bringing the spine to the right place. Additionally, it also relaxes your shoulder blades if it hurts you.
⦁ Pushing:
In the case where your neck has stiffened in a forward position, try to push it backwards as much as possible. Again, it's not going to be easy the first time, but it will have a great effect on your neck!
