7 Natural Neck Pain Relief Tips

Neck pain is one of the most common issues people of almost any age can face.  For some people, neck pain will arise as a result of a specific incident – a sports injury or slip and fall, for example – and subside on its own within a few days.  In some more stubborn cases, many people will turn to over-the-counter pain-relievers or anti-inflammatories, try a heating pad, or visit their massage therapist to address muscle trigger points.

For a host of other people, neck pain becomes a chronic health issue that they deal with on a daily basis.  Neck pain becomes especially problematic when it starts to affect how you go through your activities of daily living.  Chronic neck pain sufferers must adjust how they drive a car, shampoo their hair, do their jobs, and many other things that those without pain may never give a second thought to.  If you fall into this category, the odds are good that you are seeking out solutions that don’t leave you dependent on ongoing medication use. Below you can find seven tips you can start incorporating right away to help you find natural, lasting relief.

Help Neck Pain Naturally

1. Monitor your technology use – many of us spend more time than we think we do behind a screen.  At work, make sure your desktop is set up properly in a way that doesn’t force you to hold your head in an unnatural position.  Your computer monitor should be positioned at eye-level – most sit too low down, requiring you to crane your neck forward and down to see it.  This can be easily remedied by stacking a few books underneath to raise up the monitor. Mobile devices (your smartphones and tablets) should also be held at eye-level while in use.
2. Stay well hydrated – in between each vertebra in your spine lies a disc that acts like a shock absorber.  Your discs are composed of roughly 80% water, so making sure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day can help the disc stay properly hydrated and healthy.  A good rule of thumb when you’re thinking about how much daily water intake is appropriate for you is trying to aim for half of your total body weight in ounces. Some people find that carrying a water bottle and setting occasional reminders on their phone helps, others try and drink a full glass of water at certain times of day, such as upon waking up in the morning, each time you brush your teeth, or when you sit down for a meal.
3. Choose your seats carefully – no matter who we are and what we do for a living, we likely spend quite a bit of time sitting.  If possible find an office chair with a taller back that has support for your cervical spine too. When you’re traveling in your car or at home relaxing, using the headrest or even a neck-specific pillow for added support can reduce strain and keep your neck in a more neutral posture.
4. Sleep smart – if you are suffering from chronic neck pain, sleeping on your stomach might be contributing to the problem.  Stomach-sleepers must have their heads turned all the way to one side or the other through the night, and this can put undue strain on your neck.  Try switching to a side or back-sleeping position to ease some of the tension on your neck. There are also many pillow options available depending on your sleeping position.  Back sleepers may benefit from a thinner pillow with built-in support for the neck and side sleepers might like a pillow that’s a bit taller and firmer. Regardless, while asleep, it’s always best to try and keep your spine in as neutral of a position as possible.
5. Take time to stretch – if your neck feels stiff in addition to painful, going through gentle range of motion stretches might help to loosen things up and restore more normal movement.  Without forcing anything, try to look up and down, left to right, and tilt your head from side to side bringing each ear to the same side shoulder. This accounts for the wide ranges of motion that our necks should naturally be able to achieve.
6. Try ice or heat therapy – there are many contrasting theories out there that favor either ice or heat therapy.  The conventional way of thinking, though, is to ice for new pain or injuries that are causing swelling and inflammation.  Heat is typically recommended for stiff, aching muscles, chronic pain, and injuries older than a few days.
7. Find an upper cervical specific chiropractor – upper cervical chiropractors are unique in that they narrow their focus down on the uppermost vertebrae in the neck.  This area is responsible for the majority of movement of the head and is also the most vulnerable to misaligning. Upper cervical care is also different in that adjustments are very individualized and don’t require a great deal of force to accomplish great results.  Upper cervical adjustments are designed to hold in place for as long as possible, giving your body the time it needs to heal naturally.

Neck Pain Relief Manila Philippines

Healing from Chronic Neck Pain is Possible

If you have been coping with neck pain for any length of time, then upper cervical chiropractic care is the next logical step.  Because our goal is to help you get to the root cause of the problem rather than covering up symptoms, we have helped many chronic neck pain sufferers accomplish lasting, natural relief.  You might be just a few gentle adjustments away from regaining your quality of life.

References:

https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/musculoskeletal-and-connective-tissue-disorders/neck-and-back-pain/evaluation-of-neck-and-back-pain

https://www.spine-health.com/blog/9-lesser-known-tips-easing-neck-pain

About the Author

Dr. Miguel Flores, D.C

N8 Upper Cervical Chiropractic

When I discovered Chiropractic. My father took me to see a chiropractor, the first in the Philippines at the time. He examined me, found the cause of the problem and gave me my first adjustment- one that would set me towards a path of true health and well being.