Save Your Neck!

Save Your Neck!

The single most common reason for neck pain is poor posture, plain and simple. Sitting for prolonged periods hunched over a computer, for example, can do it, as can poor sleeping posture. Many people respond to stress by tensing up their neck muscles, which over time, can lead to neck pain as well as headaches. All of the above can cause painful conditions such as neck strain or even pinched nerves.

Neck strain is most often the result of sleeping in an awkward position. This puts tension on the muscles that run along the back of your neck. If you experience neck stiffness upon waking in the morning, this is most likely what has happened. A good way to relieve the pain and loosen muscles is to stand under a hot shower and lit the water run on the nape of your neck. Press your chin to your chest to stretch out those neck muscles for about 30 seconds. Then hold your head back, pause, and flex forward again. Now roll your neck from side to side a few times. This should help to ease the stiffness and pain.

It has been estimated that 70% of all pinched nerves are caused by poor posture. Basically, a pinched nerve means that a disc that sits between two nerves in the neck has probably been bumped out of place. In addition to the pain that you feel in your neck, you may also experience some numbness and/or a tingling sensation in your arms and hands. You’ll need to seek medical attention for this one. Your care giver will likely prescribe neck-stretching exercises to alleviate pain and improve your neck’s muscles to keep the disc in place. Something you can do at home? Improve your posture. Be sure that your head doesn’t bend forward too much. When you are seated in proper posture, you should be able to draw a straight line from your ears to your shoulders on down to the hips.

Below are some additional ideas that you can do at home to help cut down on neck pain:

• Take a bath towel and fold it lengthwise. Wrap it around your neck before bedtime


• Try aspirin, naproxen or ibuprofen to relieve pain and inflammation – use as directed


• Massage your neck muscles


• Relax - Take deep breaths, shrug your shoulders


• Support your head and neck all night long with our Contour Cloud and Contour Crescent memory foam pillows


• Use the Contour Twist Pillow for head and neck support while traveling, relaxing or almost any sedentary activity.