Regardless of your age and gender, neck pain can happen to you. It can be due to poor posture, incorrect sleeping position, holding a particular position for a long time, or repetitive stress on neck muscles. However, some health conditions can cause or aggravate your neck pain. The good news is that most of these conditions are manageable, provided that you know the cause of your neck pain.
A large percentage of the population is affected by neck pain each year. But there are practical ways you can do to reduce your risk of suffering from neck pain, such as finding the best sleeping position for neck pain.
Here are the common health conditions causing neck pain. Sometimes they are interconnected and share symptoms. They can also bring pain to surrounding areas of the neck.
Neck pain is a common musculoskeletal condition for adults between 21 and 50 years old. Healthcare providers are not new to complaints concerning neck pain with symptoms like tingling, weakness, or stiffness in their neck. Fortunately, some patients can do home remedies to ease their pain, such as:
Gentle neck stretching can help alleviate neck pain. Here's an easy-to-remember neck stretch you can do even when you're at work:
Do this until you feel relief from the neck pain. Remember not to force the stretch if it feels painful.
To avoid straining your muscles, including the ones in the neck, you may want to incorporate short breaks in your daily routine. This applies to those who hold a particular position for a long time, such as desk workers and drivers. If possible, get up and stretch every hour, especially those sitting for hours daily.
Alternating heat and cold packs pressed on the tender part of the neck can temporarily relieve your neck pain. Applying a cold pack can help reduce neck pain and inflammation, and a heat pack can help soothe sore neck muscles. A point to remember, be sure to wrap either pack in a towel and not apply it directly to your skin to avoid unwanted burns. You can do this as needed for about 20 minutes each time.
If you need immediate pain relief, you may check out some mild medications from your local pharmacy. For example, drugs such as acetaminophen can help reduce pain and inflammation, or you can also try a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). However, you must not abuse taking medication, and we recommend always consulting with a doctor before trying any of these drugs.
Getting comfortable in your sleep is one thing, but it should be one that does not put any strain on your neck. You may find that certain sleeping positions may benefit your neck and body overall. You must also make sure your head, neck, and back have enough support when you sleep.
Every person is unique. The same goes for the sleeping position; as long as your neck gets ample support, you need not worry about the proper position because it varies per person. However, we strongly advise you to avoid sleeping on your stomach as your neck usually tilts to one side for a long time. This is not one of the best sleeping positions for neck pain because it brings more pain than you want.
If you prefer this position, you must go for a firm pillow to give your shoulder, neck, and head good support. Remember, the pillow should fill in your head and neck spaces.
Back sleepers need a flat pillow to have a neutral height when lying down. A flat pillow under your knees may also prevent you from experiencing more back and neck strain.
If you're the type who shifts position during sleep, you might want to choose a semi-firm textured pillow. Those with mixed pillow fillers like buckwheat hull pillows or microbeads are an excellent option. This way, your pillow can easily conform to the curves of your neck.
We encourage everyone to seek natural care for different health conditions because your body can perfectly repair itself naturally given good support. Upper Cervical Chiropractic can easily manage your discomfort.
Licensed upper cervical chiropractic doctors can deliver safe and gentle adjustments to your upper cervical spine that might be the leading cause of your neck pain. The top two bones of the neck are highly susceptible to misalignments, and when it happens, they can trigger several health concerns and trigger onset of symptoms, including neck pain.
Your doctor of chiropractic will carefully examine your upper neck for any misalignments and recommend a series of adjustments and corrections to help restore the balance in your body. Once your bones return to the proper alignment, your neck pain can slowly disappear. Proper alignment of your spine also re-establishes the smooth flow of communication between your brain, spinal cord, nerves, and the rest of your body.
Check out our directory of upper cervical chiropractic doctors to find professionals in your city. You may consult with NUCCA, Blair, Orthospinology, Atlas Orthogonal, EPIC, or Knee Chest chiropractors. All of these are unique and safe upper cervical chiropractic care techniques.
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The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.
