While working on a major project or endlessly scrolling through your phone, you must have spent long hours at your desk with your eyes glued to the computer screen. At this point, have you ever experienced some discomfort in your neck? Sadly, it is true, but you must have, as it is a familiar sensation for many of us.
It is this neck pain that creeps in due to our poor posture. Poor posture is when you have hunched shoulders and neck jutting forward for long hours. When these endless hours pass, you don’t realize how much strain you’ve put on your neck until you finally look up, and it hurts really bad.
Understanding Neck Pain Better
Neck pain is a discomfort that one experiences typically due to strain or tension in the muscles and ligaments of the neck. Check out these well-known symptoms of neck pain and feel if they relate to your symptoms.
Symptoms Of Neck Pain
Here are the symptoms of neck pain categorized from most common to least common based on their frequency of occurrence:
- Pain and Tenderness: One often experiences pain ranging from a dull ache to sharp, localized or widespread pain.
- Stiffness: There is often a decreased range of motion or difficulty turning the head up and down or on the sides.
- Muscle Tightness or Spasms contribute to discomfort.
- Headache: Neck pain is often accompanied by tension headaches, manifesting at the back of the head or spreading to other areas.
- Radiating Pain: The neck pain may radiate from the neck to the shoulders, upper back, or arms.
- Numbness or Tingling: Some experience it due to nerve compression, which is common but occurs less frequently.
- Fatigue: Again, it is a less common symptom.
- Trouble with gripping or lifting with arms or hands (less frequent)
- Dizziness or Vertigo only happens in specific neck conditions.
Please be advised that if one experiences persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms, seek medical evaluation as soon as possible.
Causes Of Neck Pain
- Poor Posture: Various activities resulting in poor posture, such as working at a desk for too long without changing position, sleeping poorly, or jerking the neck during exercise, can cause muscle strain and tension. IT professionals and students must be very careful about their poor chronic posture, which may contribute significantly to neck pain.
Wear and Tear, Osteoarthritis: Age is a prominent factor for the bones in the neck to degrade, leading to pain and stiffness.
- Nerve Compression Causes: Conditions like herniated discs or bone spurs in the cervical spine can damage nerves, leading to neck pain and discomfort.
Injury-Related Neck Pain: When the neck gets rapidly thrust forward and backward, injuring muscles and ligaments, one may experience terrible pain.
Illness-Induced Pain: Medical conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can inflame neck joints, while diseases like meningitis can manifest neck pain as a symptom. Some cancers also directly or indirectly affect the neck.
- Age-Related Degeneration: Over time, the cervical discs can lose hydration and elasticity, known as degenerative disc disease, leading to discomfort and reduced mobility. One can prevent this to some level by quitting smoking.
Stress Impact: Chronic stress can result in persistent muscle tension in the neck, contributing to ongoing pain and stiffness.
- Widespread Muscle Pain: Fibromyalgia, characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, often includes the neck and shoulder regions.
Infectious Causes: Though less common, infections like spinal tuberculosis or osteomyelitis can involve neck structures, leading to significant pain.
Safe Neck Pain Treatments
For a safer and more therapeutic approach to treating neck pain, you may opt to consider the following:
Self-Care Measures:
- Rest: Now that you are in pain and discomfort, avoiding activities that aggravate the pain is better. Hit the pause button and give rest to the strained neck muscles.
- Ice and Heat Therapy: Ice and heat therapy can be effective when treating neck pain. Here is how to go about it:
Ice Therapy
When to Use:
- An acute neck injury, sprain or strain within the first 24-48 hours.
- Post-Exercise to reduce inflammation.
- Any time you experience swelling and redness in your neck area.
How to Apply:
- Use ice packs from Express Heat Therapy for effective and safe ice therapy.
- Apply the ice pack to the affected area for 15-20 minutes.
- Repeat every few hours.
Heat Therapy
When to Use:
- In chronic conditions, such as osteoarthritis or muscle stiffness
- Muscle Relaxation before exercises or stretching.
- Stress-Related Tension
Pain Management:
- Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers: Medications such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen can help relieve mild neck pain. Exercise caution while using over-the-counter pain relievers.
- Muscle Relaxants: For those experiencing severe pain, the doctor may provide muscle relaxants.
Physical Therapy:
Exercises: Awesome is physical therapy with multiple benefits and no side effects when done the right way. Opt for gentle strengthening and stretching exercises that improve posture and increase neck strength and flexibility.
Alternative Therapies:
- Chiropractic Care: Manual adjustment of the spine may provide relief for some.
- Acupuncture: This can help alleviate pain for some individuals.
- Massage Therapy: Can help relax and relieve muscle tension in the neck.
Lifestyle Changes:
- Ergonomics: Improving posture and setting up a workspace that supports spinal health.
- Regular Exercise: General and gentle physical activity can improve overall neck strength and flexibility.
Medical Treatments: Corticosteroid Injections, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), and surgery are available medical treatments and must be opted for only after consulting your doctor. We hope that your neck pain is relieved with self-care methods soon and you never have to resort to these medical treatments.
If you feel your neck pain is severe and persistent, you are experiencing numbness or loss of strength. It is time to seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis.
