Finding Relief for Neck Pain

Neck pain may occur suddenly and without warning. You may wake up one day and wonder what you did to your neck to make it so sore. There is usually a very good reason for neck pain to occur. We will look at some of the possibilities and how to avoid causing further damage. We will then discuss what to do for chronic cases of neck pain.

What are some of the reasons neck pain occurs?

• Sleeping in the wrong position. When a person sleeps stomach down, the neck is stuck at a strained angle all night. Sleeping on one’s back is preferred.
• Propping up the head. Using one hand to rest the head on can lead to neck strain over time.
• Repeating the same motion. Straining the neck the same way over and over causes soft tissue damage and neck pain.
• Technology: Bending the neck forward to look at a phone or tablet, turning the head to see the TV, or leaning forward to see a monitor that is positioned too low are all reasons for neck pain. A big offender is holding a phone between the shoulder and the ear. This practice should be avoided if at all possible.
• Stressing out. This causes the neck muscles to tense and will eventually lead to pain.

Finding Further Help for Neck Pain

Trying to change some of the above-mentioned habits will help to decrease neck pain. However, this may not be enough if a misalignment has occurred. Visiting an upper cervical chiropractor may be the next step needed. At The Head and Spine Pain Center, we use a gentle upper cervical method called EPIC that encourages the misplaced bones to move into their correct position without forcing them or “popping” the spine. Repairing these misalignments results in better communication throughout the body and patients often report feeling better in many aspects of health.