What a pain in the neck!
We all get them, a "crick" in the neck, soreness across the shoulders. After all, we're carrying around a huge ball on a little stem. Small wonder it's easy to develop a pain in the neck. So, what can we do to prevent or heal from injury?
Stand up straight. Not only is good posture more attractive, it's actually healthier for you. Good posture reduces pressure on your midsection from slouching. Keeping your head in a neutral position avoids muscle sprain from balancing that ball of weight on top of your neck.
Toss the extra pillows. A good mattress will support your spine, and a proper pillow will support your head, keeping your neck in a neutral position.
Play like a cat and stretch. Flexibility is key to healthy joints. Gentle stretches before bed are relaxing and help relieve pressure points.
Practice ergonomics at your desk. Avoid over extending your reach across the desk while working at your computer. Sit up straight, and get out of your chair frequently.
Avoid shopper's tilt or traveler's trauma by not carrying a heavy load on one shoulder. My DH tore his rotator cuff by carrying both his laptop and carry on bag on one shoulder. Ever since, he has used a rolling bag that will also support his laptop, when he travels.
Drop the chewing gum. Yes, even this can bring on neck pain.
Read how, and more about neck pain and how you can prevent, or heal from, it.
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Thanks for the information. I rarely have neck pain but I certainly didn’t know that chewing gum can cause your neck to ache. That is very interesting coming from an avid gum chewer.
I didn't know that, either. But, I'm also not a gum chewer. :)
I was just recently experiencing a really annoying headache at the back of my head, only on the left side. I couldn't figure out why I had this pain in such a specific area or how to get it to stop. I finally had a massage and the massage therapist asked me several questions, including about my work/desk environment. With her help, I figured out that I was resting my left arm on the arm rest on my chair, and whenever I leaned on the chair like this my neck/left shoulder muscles were getting all cramped up, subsequently causing the headache. Now I avoid my arm rests and feel much better.
I had a similar experience. I used to work from home plus teach online classes, working from my desktop. My right shoulder started aching horribly, and I learned it was because I was overextending my reach across the desk and sitting off-kilter in my chair. Ever since I've been working primarily from my laptop, it's just my rear end hurting, now, LOL!