Do you find that you sometimes feel stiff and creaky? Sitting down all day can lead to a incur a consequential toll on your body’s health. Long sessions of sitting are especially bad for people, who spend most of their day fixated on a computer screen. We fail to realise however how severe the effects can be on our health until it’s too late. Neck Pain is one such problem that originates due to wrong health practices.
What is Neck Pain?
Your spine consists of small bones, often called, vertebrae. Cervical discs are flexible and act as cushions. The vertebrae, ligaments and muscles support your head and neck. Any anomalies in health, such as inflammation or tissue damage can cause stiffness or neck pain. Many people get neck pain occasionally from poor posture — for example slouching in front of the TV — overuse or because of sleeping in an awkward position. In some cases, it can occur from muscle injuries such as from playing forceful sports.
Neck pain is often the result of muscle strain or overuse, but can also be the result of serious issues including blood vessel blockages (vascular occlusion) and spinal disc herniation or breakage that may require surgery to fix. In some cases, neck pain symptoms are also a sign of an infection or tumour which need immediate medical attention. Most painful neck symptoms can be relieved within a few days, but if they do not improve, see a physiotherapist in Gurgaon immediately.
What Causes Neck Pain?
Your neck is like a tree. It’s flexible and aids in supporting the weight of your head, and it can be susceptible to injuries or pain-causing conditions, making it hard to move around freely. The stiffness of the neck can happen due to numerous reasons
1. Injury
The neck has lots of vulnerabilities as it acts like a rope bridge that has been strung across your spinal cord. Because it’s so vulnerable, accidents can cause injuries at various points along its length – especially concentrated during motor vehicle accidents or sports collisions wherein the muscle and ligaments of the neck are forced to move out of position against their natural range of motion. Such jerking motions can easily lead to strains and sprains when exposed to situations involving unusual stress being placed upon them (like a fall for example).
2. Muscle Strains
This is usually due to behaviour and lifestyle practices such as sleeping in the wrong position, working at a desk for too long, or having poor posture while reading. It can also happen with repeated neck stress like clenching your teeth when you’re under pressure or chewing gum with your mouth open. This condition can even be caused by repetitive motion—like swinging a golf club, texting over and over, or jerking your neck to look over your shoulder at cars in traffic.
3. Other Causes
As we age, our bones and tissues break down. Things like arthritis can develop in the same places as where this breakdown occurs. When the degeneration of these tissues and bodies happens in your neck, it can put added stress on existing joints, resulting in pain.
Apart from this, certain diseases including Rheumatoid Arthritis, Meningitis, Heart Attack, Fibromyalgia and Osteoporosis, can cause neck pain.
How to Prevent Neck Pain?
Most neck pain is associated with poor posture and a worn-out spine. To get relief from neck pain, there are some routine practices that you can focus on to keep your stiffed neck relaxed and fine.
1. Maintain a good posture – While standing and sitting, focus on keeping your head aligned with the spine, rather than tilted forward or jutting out to the side. Sit up straight and avoid rounding your shoulders forward as well as slouching while you do it.
2. Take Small Breaks – If you are having a sitting job or have to work for longer hours at a workstation, it is important for you, to take small breaks to move around and do a bit of stretching.
3. Sleep in an appropriate posture – No matter how comfortable you feel in a posture, it can have adverse impacts on your neck pain. Align your neck and head as per your body. Utilise a small pillow under the neck, if necessary. Also, practice sleeping on your back with thighs elevated on pillows.
4. Smoking can Raise Pain – If you are a smoker, avoid it as much as possible. Not only it boosts neck pain but also can have deleterious impacts on the body.
5. Avoid Tucking Phone between Shoulder and Ear- Stop cradling your mobile phone between your ear and shoulder while talking to people. Instead, utilise headphones or earbuds.
6. Ice Therapy – Apply ice on the strained area and take a hot shower or compress the neck area with a heating pack.
7. Relieving Gel or Medicine – In case you find it difficult to handle, you can use a good pain-relieving gel or medicine suggested by a physician.
8. Adopt Exercises – You can incorporate activeness in your body by including some yoga poses and exercises.
When to See a Doctor?
If you do not find relief from the severe pain or have temporary comfort from the trouble, it is best to consult a physiotherapist in Gurgaon, who aids in eliminating the aches your body is facing.
At Dynafisio, we have a qualified team of the best physiotherapists in Gurgaon that assist you to overcome your severe pains and provide you with the best therapies such as acupuncture, massage and chiropractic treatment, depending upon the condition of a client’s health. Take consultation from experts by reaching us at 8929294515.