Dealing With Neck Pain

 

It's not an irritating person we're talking about here. It's that annoying neck discomfort or pain you get from too much hunching over when you're driving, using a computer or doing a project at a workbench.

 

Because your head weighs 6 to 10 pounds, your neck has quite a job to keep it balanced on top of your body. That job falls to muscles, spine bones and tissues. Doctors quoted in the Mayo Clinic Health Letter say it's no wonder that about 10 percent of adults have neck pain at one time or another, often frequently.

 

Self-care steps include:

 

Stay active. Take 10- to 15-minute breaks throughout the day if you feel you need them, it's one of the best ways to speed healing.

 

Improve your posture. Keep your head upright by practicing sitting or standing tall with your shoulders relaxed. Avoid activities that tilt your head to one side or downward for periods of time. Don't sleep on your stomach.

 

Relax tense muscles. Try deep breathing, meditation and progressive muscle relaxation. A heating pad or warm shower can bring muscle relaxation.

 

Take nonprescription pain medications. If necessary, take Tylenol or other over-the-counter medications to relieve pain and help you stay active. In the first few days after a strain, use an ice pack wrapped in a towel for up to 20 minutes a few times a day.

 

Gentle stretches. They can help restore or sustain neck range of motion and stretch tense muscles. If you aren't sure how to do them, ask a physical therapist.

 

• Neck rotation. Slowly rotate your head from side to side.
• Neck tilting. Tip the head to one side, then the other, moving your ear closer toward each shoulder.
• Neck bending. Bend your neck forward as if trying to touch your chin to your chest. Then bend it backward.

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Dealing with Neck Pain

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