Anyone that has struggled with head and neck pain appreciates how painful and miserable this ordeal could be. An individuals’s neck and head region is defenseless and vulnerable to stresses caused by such things as arthritis, bad posture, accidents, whiplash, aging, as well as normal, day-to-day activities such as reading or chewing gum. The base of the skull is connected to the spine thanks to our neck. In general, head and neck pain is the result of very common, innocent habits that you don’t even think about.
Okay, so here are some things that can lead to head and neck pain without you even being conscious about it:
- Your reading session involves sitting in a chair, resting a book on your knees, and looking down while reading it
- Playing video or computer games in a hunched-back position
- Sleeping while in a sitting position (or in a chair) with your chin resting on the chest
- Sitting in an unnatural way or position
- Using pillows that are too high or too low
Here are some suggestions to help you prevent head and neck pain:
- Eliminate poor posture
- Whenever possible, keep your head and neck in a neutral position
- Minimize situations that force you to bend or hunch your neck forward for long periods of time
- Try not to sit in one position for hours without taking breaks periodically to move around
- When working at a computer, use a chair with armrests, position your knees so that they are a bit lower than your hips, and insure that the monitor is at eye level
- Invest in a contouring body pillow
Emotional stress and tension is another common cause of head and neck pain, which lots of folks experience when undergoing trying or dark times. Take a few minutes to calm down and relax if you find yourself burnt out and stressed during the day. Stretch your neck and back muscles by rolling your shoulders forward and backwards, or perform neck rotations to reduce your chances of headaches generated by neck tension.
There are various OTC medications such as an anti-inflammatory or pain relievers (e.g, NSAIDs) that reduce swelling and muscle pain caused by head and neck pain. Beware, though, that these medications are to be used on a short-term basis. As an option, you can seek a more natural and holistic approach, such as using natural pain relievers or visiting a chiropractor to get relief from your head and neck pain. If the pain becomes chronic, you should get a medical diagnosis and seek the proper treatment for your head and neck pain.
