Neck pain can be caused by bad sleep, bad posture, a sudden twist, or too much stress. It is among the most common everyday complaints. According to a research, neck-strengthening exercises are more important than stretching when it comes to preventing neck pain. Neck pain usually occurs from the soft tissues which are in and around the cervical spine. In this write-up, we have highlighted some of these simple and easy tricks to prevent neck pain.
Avoid neck strain from texting or surfing
Messaging or looking down at your cell phone or iPad for even a short period of time puts an enormous amount of strain on your neck.
After some time, the additional pressure on the joints, tendons, and intervertebral discs in your neck can lead to untimely degenerative changes in your neck. Tips to curb any possible neck harm from texting or surfing on your iPad include raising the cell phone or iPad to eye level, minimizing texting and surfing time, resting your hands and gadget on an elevated cushion, and taking regular and frequent breaks.
Sleep on your back if you can
Sleeping on your back is the best position for you to let your spine rest comfortably. It helps some people who have neck problems to place pillows under each arm to take the stress of the neck. On other hand, people with spinal arthritis may find that sleeping at a slightly slanted position is better and they add a foam wedge pillow to their bed.
Keep your computer screen at eye level
Another trick to prevent neck pain is by keeping your computer screen at eye level. Your eyes should gaze directly at the middle of the screen so you don’t have to move your head up and down to see properly. Moreover, you can also use books to help you adjust the height of your screen. It is also recommended to connect your laptop to a separate monitor in order to prevent neck pain. Over time, the added stress on the joints, ligaments, and discs in your neck can lead to premature degenerative changes in your neck. In order to avoid them, you should adjust the height of your screen appropriately.
Exercise and stretch your Neck
You can keep your neck muscles strong by doing some strengthening and stretching exercises. The simplest exercise is the chin tuck exercise. This exercise helps strengthen the muscles that pull the head into alignment over the shoulders. It also stretches the scalene and sub occipital muscles.
Stay hydrated
Another way to prevent neck pain is by keeping yourself hydrated. Drinking lots of water nourishes and hydrates the discs. These discs are made up of mostly water so staying well hydrated will assist to keep your discs pliable and strong. It is recommended to drink 8 glasses of water throughout the day. You can also keep a bottle with you to drink water and even set an alarm so you can drink water.
These are some tricks that can help avoid small mistakes that result in bigger problems for the neck. Bring these changes in your lifestyle to prevent neck problems.