Are you forced to deal with neck pain on an almost daily basis? This is something that has, unfortunately, become a big problem for many Americans.
Studies have shown that upwards of 20 percent of people are experiencing neck pain at any given moment. This neck pain can be crippling in some cases, and it can make it difficult for people to lead normal lives.
If neck pain has turned into an everyday occurrence for you, there are neck pain solutions that you can turn to for relief. They can offer you a reprieve from your neck pain and allow you to live more normally from now on.
Check out seven pain solutions for your neck below.
1. Stop Sitting In One Position For Extended Periods Of Time
Recent studies have suggested that about 25 percent of Americans sit for more than eight hours every single day. They’ve also suggested that many of these people spend extended periods of time in a seated position.
Are you one of them? If so, this could be one of the biggest causes of your neck pain. When you sit in the same position for hours on end, it can lead to neck stiffness and pain over time.
Try to get into the habit of spending about 15 minutes out of every hour up on your feet. It’ll get your blood flowing and prevent your back and neck muscles from tightening up on you.
2. Make Ergonomic Adjustments to Your Desk at Work
In addition to getting up every so often at work and stretching your legs, back, and neck out, you should also rethink the way you have your desk set up. There are certain ergonomic adjustments you can make to provide pain relief for your neck.
Some of these ergonomic adjustments should include:
- Placing your computer screen at eye level
- Moving your computer chair up or down to improve your posture
- Using a headset to talk on the phone to avoid propping a phone up under your head and neck
You might be surprised by how effective these neck pain solutions can be when you put them to good use.
3. Avoid Using Your Smartphone As Much As You Do Now
The average American spends anywhere from three to four hours staring down at their smartphone every single day. As you might imagine, that can really take a toll on a person’s neck.
When you’re looking down at your phone for hours on end, it holds your neck in one position and causes pain and stiffness to set in. You can make these things go away by putting your phone into your pocket more often from now on and keeping your head up.
4. Keep the Prescription For Your Eyeglasses Updated
Has it been a while since the last time you updated your eyeglass prescription?
You might not think that this has anything to do with the neck pain you’ve been experiencing lately. But it could be playing a big role in it.
When people are using outdated eyeglass prescriptions, they can’t always see well. This often leads to them tilting their head back slightly so that they’re able to see better.
If they do this all day long, it can eventually lead to neck pain. You can make this pain disappear by updating your eyeglass prescription and regaining your sense of sight.
5. Consider Investing In A New Pillow To Sleep On
If you’re waking up almost every morning with neck pain, the pillow that you’re sleeping on could be the problem. Harvard Medical School recommends investing in a feather pillow or a memory foam pillow that’s designed to provide your neck with the support it needs.
They also recommend reconsidering the way you sleep. You should try sleeping on your back or side as opposed to your stomach to stop back and neck pain from wreaking havoc on you.
6. Purchase A Neck Massager And Use It As Often As You Need To
If you use the five neck pain solutions we’ve mentioned thus far, you should start to see any neck pain you’ve been feeling subside over time. But these solutions aren’t always going to offer much in terms of immediate relief.
If you want to get rid of neck pain quickly, using a neck massager might be your best bet. From the second you start using a neck massager, it’ll make your neck pain feel better than it did before.
Anytime you’re hanging out at home and trying to take it easy, you should put your neck massager to the test. It’ll work wonders for those who can’t seem to eliminate neck pain in any other way.
7. Speak With Your Doctor About Any Lingering Neck Pain
Do you have neck pain that continues to hang around no matter how hard you work to get rid of it? This kind of neck pain could be caused by something more serious than just poor posture or overusing a smartphone.
You might be dealing with neck pain that is the result of:
- Degenerative disc disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Spinal stenosis
- Whiplash
- Pinched nerve
In these instances, you’ll need to talk with your doctor about what to do next. You might need to go to physical therapy, take a neck pain medication, or even consider having surgery done to heal your neck once and for all.
Start Using These Pain Solutions To Make Your Neck Feel Better
Neck pain appears to be more common than ever in this day and age. But that doesn’t mean that you have to allow neck pain to keep you down.
You can stop neck pain in its tracks in most cases by using one or several of the neck pain solutions that we’ve discussed here. These solutions will set you up with the pain relief you need and stop neck pain from slowing you down on a daily basis.
Would you like to find out about some of the other ways you can prevent pain from derailing your life? Browse our online magazine for some more healthy lifestyle tips!
