After a long day at work, you finally pack up your stuff to head home. You pile into your car, fasten your seatbelt, and put it in reverse. As you start to back up, you try to turn your head to see what’s behind you, but your neck hurts when you move it! If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In 2010, about 29 percent of adults reported experiencing neck stiffness and pain. The good news is that you don’t have to simply endure your discomfort. Here are methods of neck pain treatment to help your neck become more flexible again.
Put Down the Devices
If you’re like most people nowadays, you spend a little too much time on your phone. Whether you’re watching videos or checking your social media pages, you can easily slip into bad habits, specifically positioning your head and neck forward. This placement puts significant stress on your neck and upper back muscles, causing you pain and stiffness.
Although not terribly popular, one way to address a stiff neck is to have shorter and fewer sessions with technology that encourages bad posture. If you must spend time looking at a smartphone or tablet, try to hold it at eye level so that you don’t have to crane your neck at an awkward angle in order to see the screen.
Use Good Posture
These days, it seems working at a computer screen is unavoidable. If you are confined to a desk for eight hours every day, you can make your work space as conducive to healthy posture as possible. A comfortable chair, straight back, and level head position can enable you to perform your work while putting the minimum amount of stress on your neck.
Take Breaks and Stretch
Throughout your day, regardless of your work environment, you need to take frequent breaks, not just to enjoy a mental rest but also to allow yourself to reset. About every hour, stand up and walk around for a couple of minutes. You can also take this time to do a few stretches. For instance, simply rolling your shoulders back several times can help remind you about your posture and loosen up those tight muscles. Also, slowly tilt your head to the side, as if you’re trying to touch your shoulder with your ear. Once you feel your neck stretching, hold it in place for 10 seconds and slowly bring your head back to its normal position. Repeat this with the other side.
Visit a Chiropractor
Making an appointment with a chiropractor in Richardson is probably one of the first things you should do if you experience a sore, stiff neck. Not only can they help with spinal realignment, but they can also give you guidance on making your workspace more ergonomic, teach you stretches and exercises, and relieve your pain.
You may not be able to change everything that leads to a sore neck, but you can do something about it when it comes up. By taking these steps, you can overcome neck stiffness and pain and resume your normal activities!
About the Author
Dr. Zinovy Chukhman, or Dr. Z, has treated patients with rehabilitation for more than 20 years. He has received all 4 parts of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and NBCE Physical Rehabilitation certification. He also has had advanced training in many techniques, including Diversified, Thompson, flexion-distraction, Gonstead, and Graston. He finds great satisfaction in alleviating patients’ pain and helping them live healthier, happier lives. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Z, you can contact AlignRight Chiropractic by clicking here.