We all deal with neck pain at some point in our lives. Maybe it’s from looking down at your phone too much, or maybe from a whiplash injury from a car crash; whatever the cause, neck pain is always uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to alleviate it. One of the easiest, most no-frills, and totally affordable ways is exercise!

Things to Know About Neck Pain

You might be surprised to learn that neck pain is extremely common. In fact, according to the American Chiropractic Association, more than 80 percent of Americans will experience a kind of neck pain at one point or another.

The most common cause of neck pain is muscle spasm in the upper back and shoulders caused by poor posture or accidents. Muscle spasms are often followed by headaches and other symptoms that can make daily activities extra challenging, such as driving or working on a computer.

If you’re suffering from chronic neck pain or want to ease your symptoms so you can enjoy your day without feeling sore or stiff, follow the several exercises we’re about to recommend to help reduce the inflammation and increase blood flow in your neck. 

Upper Cervical and Head Exercises for Neck Pain

These exercises can help strengthen your upper cervical area and ease neck pain. They can also improve your posture, regain your range of motion, and improve balance.

Head Nods

Head nods are a great way to relieve neck pain and improve your posture. By increasing blood flow to the head, they help ease pressure on the spine. They also stretch your neck and back muscles, which will help keep you from hurting yourself even more.

Here's how to do them:

With your eyes closed, tilt your head forward until you feel it touch something solid like a wall or a desk—this is called "touching." Then try to hold this position for about five seconds before returning back up again as slowly as possible—this is called "slowly returning." Repeat 10 times for each side of your body (20 total).

Head Tilts

To perform a head tilt, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Relax your muscles while letting your arms fall to your sides. Tilt your head to either left or right (you decide), hold for 5 seconds, then return to the center position. Repeat 10 times in each direction (left, right, left). You should feel a gentle stretch in the muscles along either side of the spine as you move from side to side.

If you have neck pain or headache: You may also want to gently roll your head from front to back or vice versa several times during each day (this can help relieve the tension built up by daily activities). Be careful not to overdo it, though—gradually increase how many times per day you do this exercise until it becomes comfortable. If dizziness occurs while performing this exercise, stop immediately!

Neck Rotations

Neck rotations are a great way to stretch your neck and reduce tension gently. While this exercise is easy enough for beginners, it can also be modified for more advanced practitioners.

How to perform the exercise:

You can begin by lying on your back with both arms at your sides, palms facing up. Slowly gently rotate your head to one side until you feel a stretch in your neck or shoulder area (you should feel this stretch in the opposite direction). Hold this position for 1-2 seconds before returning to the center. Repeat four times on each side of the body.

Ear to Shoulder Drops

To do this exercise:

Stand up with your knees bent slightly and your back straight. Your feet should be about hip-width apart like you're preparing to take a step.

Slowly reach one arm behind your head while keeping the other at your side, as if you were trying to touch the floor behind you with your hand (you won't actually reach it). Don't lift on either leg; keep them relaxed and ready for movement by standing on the balls of both feet, so they don't sink into the ground. 

Bring both arms down slowly until they are level with or slightly higher than shoulder height—and repeat! Make sure that as you bring them down in front of you again, they don't brush against each other because that can cause injury or muscle fatigue! If this is too hard at first, try making smaller movements instead of large ones until it becomes easier to complete each repetition smoothly without stopping halfway through due to a lack of strength or coordination between different body parts.

Bent Over Head Nods

Start by bending over and placing your hands on your knees. Then bring your head as far back as you can, but don't put it behind you. Stay in that position for ten seconds, and repeat at least twenty times. If you have neck pain, repeat this exercise every day until you don't feel pain anymore.

You Can Also Try Upper Cervical Chiropractic to Relieve Neck Pain

Many people suffer from neck pain. If you are one of them, you're not alone. Neck pain is a common health issue that can affect anyone at any time, often resulting in significant discomfort or disability. With that said, there are various options to treat this condition. 

One option is Upper Cervical Chiropractic care. Chiropractors who employ this technique relieve musculoskeletal conditions through neck manipulation. This can help relieve your chronic neck pain naturally. Many people are surprised to learn that Upper Cervical Chiropractic care is an effective care alternative for neck pain, but those who have experienced it will tell you that it works wonders for their pain issues.

Use This Directory of Upper Cervical Doctors

If you’re curious about the benefits of Upper Cervical Chiropractic care, check out Upper Cervical Awareness. They have an extensive library of articles and blogs on Upper Cervical Chiropractic and the conditions it can help and provide relief. In addition, you can take advantage of their upper Cervical chiropractors' directory if you are interested in trying this holistic treatment for your neck pain. Their extensive list can help you find an accredited chiropractor nearest you.

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