Below are 5 of the most common causes of neck pain – as well as how to avoid them and treat them.
Tech neck
When using a computer or smartphone, many of us adopt a hunched position. This can lead to strained muscles and trapped nerves in the neck – a condition that is informally known as ‘tech neck’.
To avoid tech neck, make sure that your computer is at the right height (ideally the top of the monitor should be level with your eyes) and avoid using your smartphone for long periods of time. Taking a break from tech and resting your neck could help you to recover from this strain.
Whiplash
Moving your neck back-and-forth too fast can lead to an injury known as whiplash. Muscles, ligaments and even bones can be damaged. Sports accidents and rear-end car accidents are the most common cause of whiplash.
Whiplash is not always easy to prevent – stretching before doing sports and wearing a seatbelt when in a vehicle could help in some cases. To help recover from whiplash, you will need to rest your neck for a few days (which means refraining from sports and driving). Sports therapists may be able to help treat sports-related whiplash injuries. For car-accident-related injuries, you may want to see a doctor and potentially hire a lawyer such as John Foy & Associates car accident lawyer to get compensation.
Spondylosis
Spondylosis is a type of arthritis that affects the disks in the neck. It is often a form of wear and tear that comes with age – previous neck injuries and smoking can put you at a higher risk.
Spondylosis cannot always be treated, although there are many pain relief options that can make it more manageable. Physical therapy and surgery may be possible in more serious cases. You can find more information on this condition here at Mayo Clinic.
Heavy lifting
It’s also possible to strain muscles and ligaments in the neck when lifting heavy objects. Lifting something heavy on one arm/shoulder for too long (such as a bag or infant) may cause pain on one side of the neck.
You can usually avoid these injuries by knowing your limits when it comes to lifting heavy objects. This includes getting help when lifting very heavy objects and putting down objects as soon as they start to cause a cramp. Resting your neck and using hot and cold treatment can usually help you to recover from this injury.
Sleep injuries
Many people injure their neck in their sleep. This is usually the result of having too many/not enough pillows.
The optimum amount of pillows that you need depends on your sleeping position and the width of your shoulders. Those who sleep on their back typically only need one thin pillow, whereas those who sleep on their side may need two pillows or one thick pillow. Ideally your head and spine should be kept level. This Sleep Seeker guide to pillows explains more.
Thanks for reading and y’all stay dandy.
-Diego
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