A pain in the neck causes sitting at a desk, drafts, stress, or sleeping in the wrong position. A feeling of stiffness and pain in the neck restrict your head from moving freely. Instead of keeping her in one position to avoid suffering, use simple measures that will ease your discomfort and relax your neck muscles.

The most common cause ofneck painsis muscle tension andoverload of the vertebraeof the spine. They can be caused by e.g. working with a computer, sleeping on a pile of pillows or long-term stress (it causes involuntary tightening of the muscles of the neck and head). Draft sitting may also be to blame. The stream of cool air irritates the nerve endings in the skin, known as roots. This triggers a chain reaction, leading to a painful muscle contracture.

Neck pain and wrong position

When the head is too elevated (the monitor is too high), twisted (the monitor stands at the side of the desk), lowered (laptop on the lap), the neck muscles strain excessively and the cervical spine is overloaded. Therefore, do not be surprised that after several hours of work you have neck pains, and sometimes in the shoulders and head. The consequence of the wrong position in front of the computer are muscle contractures (only professional rehabilitation can eliminate them) and degenerative changes in the vertebrae and discs, which put pressure on the nerve roots and cause chronic pain.

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Exercises to strengthen the muscles of the neck

Stillness hurts the spine. Therefore, while working with the computer, make several turns of your head from time to time - once to the right, once to the left. Do exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle 2-3 times a week, repeating each exercise several times. Some of them are listed below.

  • Tilt your head backwards, forwards, to the right and left shoulder, then turn it to the left and right as much as possible.
  • Put your left hand around your head from behind, put your right hand on it and press it for a moment, forcing your head to bend to the left; repeat, changing sides.
  • Place your right hand on your right temple, tilt your head to the right, resisting it with your hand. Then press your head to the left, forward, backward, blocking its movement with your hand.

Read also: Exercise kitstretching for neck pain

Orthopedic pillow for neck and neck pain

A pile of pillows under the head does not give the neck a break during sleep, as it increases the tension in the muscles of the neck and shoulders. Therefore, sleep on one, fairly flat pillow. It's best to get yourself an orthopedic one with a hollow for the head and a bulge for the neck. It ensures the physiological position of the cervical spine and promotes relaxation of tense muscles. Avoid sleeping on your stomach with your head tilted to the side. This position overloads the vertebrae and increases muscle tension.

Massage shoulders

Massage gives the best results when performed by a professional, but if the symptoms are not severe, you can also relax the tense muscles of the neck and back. Knead them with your fingers just like when kneading a dough. For a better effect, use rosemary and marjoram oils for massage (add 2 drops to a teaspoon of cooking oil).

Note: the spine is not massaged, only the surrounding muscles!

In case of muscle tension pain, warm compresses bring relief. For example, you can place a towel dampened in hot water on the nape of the neck, or a hot water bottle, or pour a warm shower over the nape of the neck. On the other hand, cold compresses are desirable in the event of injuries, for example, when neck pain and limited head movements appeared after the car was braked sharply. Then immediately put, for example, a frozen meal wrapped in a cloth or a special cold compress (you can buy it at a pharmacy) in the sore spot and report it to an orthopedist.

For chronic neck pain, warming medications and painkillers

When your neck hurts due to muscle tension, use patches and warming ointments. Heat is relaxing. If your suffering is due to degeneration of the cervical spine, you will find relief from over-the-counter oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or gels and ointments with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. It is worth reaching for spreads first, because they only work in the area of ​​pain.

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Category:

Spine, bones, joints