Understanding the causes of neck pain can help you cope with it more effectively. While various reasons can cause neck stiffness, poor posture tops them all! With most of us spending more time staring at our computer screens or mobile phones, experiencing neck stiffness has become more frequent than ever before!
Here’s are some ways you cope with neck pain:
1. Regular Exercising
Nightly massages or stretching can help reduce soreness in your muscles after a strenuous workout. Avoid strenuous exercises to prevent nerve irritation, inflammation, and muscle tension. An arduous workout routine may even induce muscle cramps, leading to excruciating neck pain.
2. Improve Your Posture
Slouching strains neck muscles. If you’re working a 9-5 shift, ensure you don’t lean forward in your chair with your head tilted upwards. It’s Important to maintain good posture to avoid getting a stiff neck. Keep your back, neck, and shoulders well-aligned throughout the day. If correcting your position throughout the day seems challenging, consider buying a posture-correcting device.
3. Keep Yourself Hydrated
Your muscles need to expand and stretch to work properly. They require internal fluids to be able to stretch. Therefore, keeping yourself hydrated is essential to ensure you don’t get neck pain. The less water you drink, the more joint stiffness you’ll experience.
4. Correct Your Sleeping Position
Sleeping on your side or stomach might pressurise your neck. Avoid painful sleeping positions by ensuring you have a supportive pillow and a mattress. A mattress that is too firm may also cause a stiff neck. Ensure your back, neck, and head remain aligned while you sleep. If you want to sleep on your side, use a firm, large pillow. On the other hand, a flatter pillow will help you prevent neck pain if you wish to sleep on your back.
5. Use a Collar
Ask your healthcare practitioner if you can use a soft neck collar to relieve muscle strain. Wearing a collar for a few hours a day can reduce your neck pain significantly. However, do note that wearing a collar for prolonged periods might weaken your muscles. Therefore, only a few hours would suffice to soothe your sore muscles.
6. Get a Message
A massage can help soothe your tensed muscles. A certified therapist can help ease your chronic pain and conditions like arthritis. Professional massagers will locate the affected areas and massage those spots to relieve the pain.
7. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is another treatment you can use to cope with neck stiffness. It’s an ancient Chinese treatment procedure that involves inserting thin hair-like needles into the damaged tissues, relieving muscle tension and pain.
If you’re looking for effective neck pain treatment in Preston, why not consider 5 Star Clinic Ltd? We have the best healthcare practitioners who are certified in providing acupuncture and massage therapies. For more information, contact us now!