Have you ever experienced chronic neck pain? If your answer is no, then there is much you need to do to thank your lucky stars. Neck pain occurs when you have strain in your neck muscles. While mild neck pain may resolve within a few days, chronic pain can last over six months.
As a result, this persistent neck discomfort will make it difficult to turn around. Besides, with chronic neck pain, your capacity to conduct daily activities receives a huge blow. Therefore, you should do whatever it takes to keep your neck healthy and functional. Below are self-care tips that an expert from Houston Center for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, PLCC, recommends to prevent neck pain.
Sleep Right
Your sleeping positions say a lot when it comes to neck health. Be sure to embrace the correct sleep position. Sleeping on your back is the best position for your spine to rest optimally.
Consider placing the pillow under each arm to take the strain off your neck. If you are a side sleeper, keep alternating your sides. These exercises will help avoid exerting pressure on one side of the neck.
Stay Hydrated
Spongy structures in your neck do a marvelous job of preventing friction. These structures comprise fluid whose major component is water. Unfortunately, when dehydrated, water will seep from these structures to other body parts.
As a result, discs within your neck will be more susceptible to wear and tear. Drinking the recommended eight glasses of water daily can help minimize this risk. Optimal hydration will help keep your discs flexible and resilient.
Avoid Neck Strain From Texting
We live in an era where people spend a lot of time on smartphones. This has come with repercussions, especially to the neck health. Eyeing down at your phone for a long time can stress neck ligaments excessively.
With time, the added stress on the ligaments can trigger premature degeneration in your neck. Therefore, when texting, you should raise your smartphone to eye level. You can also use the headset to avoid slouching your head.
Manage Stress
The link between stress and neck health may seem insignificant, but that is not the case. When stressed, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol. The buildup of these hormones in the body can cause tension in neck muscles.
Whether your stress stems from a relationship, workplace, or finance, it can harm your neck health. Any activity to reduce stress will help prevent neck pain. Deep breathing and meditation can help ease the stress symptoms.
Lift Properly
Most occupations, such as construction, necessitate individuals to lift heavy objects. Unfortunately, people use poor lifting techniques without knowing the harm they cause to their necks. Lifting a heavy purse on one’s side, for instance, is one technique that can strain neck muscles.
Instead, it would help if you used a backpack to enhance the uniform weight distribution on the shoulder. This way, you minimize the chances of stressing neck muscles. Further, it would be best to lighten the load by only carrying essentials in your purse.
Neck pain can be devastating when it is persistent. With discomfort in your neck, it becomes difficult to turn around, thus affecting the quality of your life. Fortunately, you can minimize the chances of neck pain through certain lifestyle modifications. You should try as much to sleep on your back for your spine to rest effectively. Drinking plenty of water will also help reduce the chances of wear and tear in the neck structures. Nevertheless, you should seek relevant medical intervention if you experience persistent neck pain despite your preventive effort
