Many jobs today require sitting and working in front of a computer. Working on your computer all day can be tiring. Apart from the usual work stress, you can also be susceptible to physical stress even when you’re only sitting down. Working at a desk for extended periods may lead to neck and back pain as well as nausea. The culprit for this is bad posture, the way you sit at work. Bad posture may cause the neck pain and nausea you experience.
Sometimes, people forget the importance of our necks. It is one of the most hardworking parts of the body that makes micro-adjustments when we are upright. Our necks play an essential role in supporting our heads, maintaining our sense of balance. If we do not correct our postures, we will have to deal with a stiff or painful neck. Having a stiff neck can be uncomfortable. It can also get in the way of our daily activities, including work.
Here are other problems that can arise from having poor posture when working:
Correcting our posture when working is important. It’s one way to ensure that the body pains we experience do not become chronic, which will be more challenging to manage. As the saying goes-- “Prevention is better than cure.”
Going hands-free does not mean that you should use your head and shoulders to keep your phones at ear level during calls. Doing this can cause neck and shoulder pains. One comfortable solution is to use headsets or even a Bluetooth earpiece when taking phone calls. All you need to do is connect these devices to your computer, laptop, phones, or even tablets, and you’re good to go.
We have poor posture while working because we adjust to our desks, not the other way around. Crouching or slouching to adjust to the height of our monitors, desks, and chairs can lead to backaches, headaches, neck pains, and nausea.
To correct our posture, your monitor should sit at eye level. When the monitor is set too low or too high, you may strain your neck for looking down or up. You can use books or even adjust your work chairs' height to ensure that the monitor is at eye level. If your workplace has sit-to-stand desk options, you can opt to work while standing to vary your positions throughout your shift.
Sitting for long hours can cause damage not only to our necks but also to the rest of our bodies. Getting immersed in your own work and remaining seated for the whole shift can lead to immense muscle aches as well. Taking breaks to stretch can help prevent neck pains as well as other muscle strains we might experience at work. One way to remind yourself to take a break and stretch is by setting a timer every hour. You can use this stretch break to walk to the comfort room or even get coffee or water to drink.
Keeping yourself hydrated is a proven and tested way to improve our overall health. Believe it or not, taking enough liquids can do wonders for neck pain. When our bodies are hydrated, we keep our tissues healthy. Hence, there is less inflammation and less stress on our body organs, including our necks. Enough water ensures that the discs in our spines, including our necks, stay hydrated. Drink at least eight glasses a day, more if you tend to sweat frequently or if you live in a hot area.
For people who smoke, you might want to take a break from smoking. One research suggests that smoking contributes to neck pain, aside from its many adverse effects on the body. The nicotine from the cigarette causes the blood vessels to constrict, leading to poor blood flow. As a result, this delays the process of bringing nutrition and oxygen to disc tissues. Limit yourself from smoking to prevent its negative effects on the body, including neck pain.
The way we sleep at night can affect how our bodies function when we wake up. If you sleep on your stomach, you are more likely to experience neck pain. In this position, the neck stays in a turned position which stresses the joints and muscles, resulting in poor blood circulation, and may cause a stiff neck. While breaking the habit of sleeping on your back is challenging, changing the way you sleep can help prevent any sore muscles and neck pains. Fall asleep on your back or your side at night. Soon enough, your sleeping habits will adapt.
If you experience chronic neck pain, you might want to consider therapy to correct any misalignments in your spine. Even a tiny misalignment in the spine or your neck bones can lead to detrimental issues apart from neck pain. The misalignment may become a factor leading to tight muscles in the neck and other close regions, the loss of normal range of motion, and difficulty in focusing and performing daily tasks.
You might want to check out a chiropractor that specializes in upper cervical chiropractic care. This can help alleviate neck pains and other associated issues.
As mentioned earlier, “Prevention is better than cure.” Upper cervical chiropractic care puts focus on the upper part of the neck. While taking medication like painkillers and anti-inflammatories or applying heat or cold compress to the affected area can temporarily relieve you of the aches, upper cervical chiropractic care might give you long-lasting relief.
In many cases, the bottom of headaches, neck pains, and nausea is a misalignment in the neck area, specifically, the atlas or the uppermost vertebra between the neck and the head. Upper cervical chiropractors use gentle yet precise adjusting techniques to correct any misalignments in the neck. If you are dealing with persistent neck pain, check out upper cervical chiropractic practitioners near you.
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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.
