4 At-Home Tips to Reduce Neck Tension

The neck is one of our most important body parts. Holding up our heads and allowing us to turn and view as needed, it's what keeps us upright and alert throughout the entire day. Yet it's also very easily injured … if even slightly. Simply by sleeping or turning wrong, you can pull a muscle or jolt a bone – a single move that can cause pain for days on end. Even worse comes stress or daily habits that create ongoing tension.

To obtain better neck health and to eliminate pain … without drugs or expensive treatments, consider:

4. Temperature Changes 

Depending on what ails you, isolated heat or a cold compress can do wonders for the neck. Talk to a pro or research which extreme will provide the best results. Then create temperature changes right where they're needed most. You can also look to lotions or salves that add or remove degrees simply with application.

3. Stretching

Neck muscles are most often pulled because they are under developed. However, turning your head in certain directions or performing strengthening movements can eliminate that issue. By creating a stronger, more versatile portion of the body that won't strain with sudden movement. 

2. More Pillow Support

When sleeping "wrong," your neck can suffer immensely during waking hours. Simply from being jarred or unsupported throughout the night. (And for hours on end.) Instead of risking this painful fate, enlist the help of a pillow that offers its healing services. Comfort and better neck health, all while you sleep.

1. Massage

Sore muscles deserve to be relaxed, and nothing relieves quite as much tension than an old-fashioned neck rub. Schedule an appointment, ask your significant other, or invest in a small device that will work out kinks. It's a proven, relaxing step that can negate pain while helping reduce future injuries. 

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Are you Suffering From “Text Neck”?

Whether or not you’ve heard this new-fangled term, it’s likely you know exactly what “text neck” is referring to. The uncomfortable, bent, and ready for anything our phones may send us position that we always seem to find ourselves in. Where the head is hunched over, our shoulders hiked up, and the back bent and in no sort of routine. And after a while, it starts to hurt. We might not even know it at the time, but this continued position will create incredible amounts of stress within the shoulders and neck.

So why do we keep doing it? Chances are, you don’t even know you’re texting this way. The habit just creeps up on you, until it simply feels natural to communicate in such a position. 

You Likely Have Text Neck if: 

• You have tight or painful shoulders
• Cricks in the neck
• Your neck or shoulders “pop” regularly
• You regularly sit in a hunched position
• You fail to sit up straight
• You send multiple texts per day

The good news, however, is that you can train your body to stop texting this way. Just like you trained it to start hunching (even if you didn’t know it). By remembering to stay aware of how you’re sitting or standing, you can reverse the unhealthy behavior. You should also be aware of how your shoulders are sitting, the position of your neck, and how close the phone is to your face. And if you really need it that close to your face, move the phone instead. It’s that easy.

Over time, this behavior will become muscle memory, and the body will eliminate its next neck behavior without even thinking about it. Start incorporating these small changes today for an easy, yet effective way, to eliminate texting-based side effects once and for all. 

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What Causes Cricks in the Neck?

No one likes starting their day with a crick in their neck. It’s painful, makes it hard to turn one’s head, and more often than not, lasts most of the day. Painful and practically incurable, it’s one of the worst ways to roll out of bed. But is still done by thousands of Americans each and every day. However, by working to identify these initial causes, we can eliminate their symptoms. From first waking up each morning to the very end of the workday. 

Cricks in the neck are most often caused by:

Straining the Neck 

If you work at a desk, or need to stretch and strain throughout the day, you’re more likely to irritate the muscles. Make sure monitors are at eye level. Also, any reading or driving should be done in a neck-friendly position.

Sleeping “Wrong”

If you have too many pillows, or sleep on a surface that’s too soft, you can cause ongoing pains by stretching or reducing support for the muscles. Instead, opt for a foam pillow that cradles the head, allowing the neck to relax along with the rest of the body.

Pulled Muscles

Generally, muscles that get the least amount of attention are pulled most often. By working out different parts of the body (or just stretching them), you can help strengthen muscles, eliminating the chance at injury. Even just from sleeping. 

Bad Posture

Slouching or sitting in a hunched over position can put pressure on the wrong parts of the neck (and those areas that are most sensitive). Remember to sit up straight and avoid leaning forward for long periods of time. 

To avoid getting a crick in the neck, avoid these dangerous tactics and look to their proven cures instead. 

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Sleep Better with Neck Alignment

There are few things worse than waking up with a crick in one’s neck. It’s painful, ongoing, and make it difficult to make it through the rest of the day. At least without turning one’s entire body each time you need to rotate your head. And while these pains might not be an everyday occurrence, when they do take place, they are less than comfortable to deal with.

Sleeping with a more supportive pillow, however, can work to reduce those cricks each and every night. Because neck-based pillows are designed specifically to cradle the spine and upper portions of the back, bones are better kept in place and held there throughout various sleeping positions. Meanwhile, muscles are kept from pinching or becoming displaced as you move. (Generally, neck pains happen when we’re sleeping, because we’re too relaxed to feel excess pressure put on muscles. Neck muscles also create more pain due to an increase in sensitivity levels.) 

When opting for versions with memory foam, you can even create a more comfortable pillow simply by using it. Each night you sleep, the pillow will better form to your body and create a custom fit. While additional add-ons, such as cooling foam, head cutouts, and more, offer a more personalized sleeping experience for each user. Sleepers are also proven to get deeper, longer periods of sleep with these type of bed products. Because they allow you to become (and stay) more comfortable, REM cycles will take place without interruption. (You can even learn more about individual cycles by talking with your doctor or a sleep expert.)

To learn more about supporting your neck while you sleep, head to Contour Living and check out our various options. Have a question or comment? Live chat with a specialist and find the best fit for you!

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Neck-friendly Tips for the Fourth of July

In just a few days’ time, fireworks will be set off to celebrate our nation’s freedom. (That is, unless your neighborhood has taken on the holiday already.) It’s a loud, colorful display that allows us a yearly bout of explosions and excitement. Ones that are meant to be enjoyed. And whether you love setting off said explosions or prefer to sit and watch from a safe distance, it’s a time-honored tradition that has been practiced for generations. But when the big show is taking place in the sky (as opposed to dinkier models set off in the driveway), it can be an actual pain in the neck to watch it in person. Especially when a solid view means cranking or jarring oneself into place. 

To save your neck, however, all it takes is a little strategic planning. For instance, laying out a blanket and enjoying the view from a horizontal position. Not one that comes with a chair that doesn’t recline. Or, if you know where the show will take place, opt for a location that’s further away (without sacrificing the view) so that you can relax your neck without obstructing the show. 

For the daytime fireworks, it’s a good idea to be aware of your surroundings. While there’s no way to be sure exactly when a loud pop or bang will be set off, knowing that it’s a possibility throughout the day can lessen the blow. This can save you a scare or two, as well as any sudden movements that lead toward a pulled muscle or soreness. 

This upcoming holiday, remember that even the longest of American traditions can come with a surprise. Whether by sound or a beautiful view in a less-than-ideal location. Look into better bodily care – even in the planning stages – to save yourself any firework-induced pains.  

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Why Texting is a Literal Pain in the Neck

It’s no secret that the population has taken strongly to their cell phones. From smartphones to flip models that only call and send texts, these devices are used numerous times per day. Even more so for versions loaded down with apps, cameras, and the ability to perform almost any task. Calculators, weather updates, TV shows, and portable electronic radios can all be found on the modern smartphone.

But when checking our phones countless times throughout the day, that pattern is bound to come with some sort of side effect. Like neck pains. With all that leaning, squinting, and bending to see who sent what message, the neck is the body part that suffers the most.

Experts say that due to the weight of our heads – an adult is toting around 10 to 12 pounds up there – and the lack of natural support when texting, it’s common to develop literal pains in the neck. The more frequent the texting, the harsher the pains. However, it’s not the phones’ fault, it’s the way we look at them. When hunching down or leaning over to read a screen, the neck loses its natural curve. A posture that keeps neck bones and muscles right where they need to be.

How To Take Better Care of your Neck

The next time you get a text, don’t bring your eye line to your phone, bring your phone to your eye line. This might not feel as comfortable (at first), but it will keep your neck where it needs to be and create a healthier long-term habit.

Another option is to hold off on texting. Unless it’s a necessity, look to other forms of communication, such as talking on the phone or meeting in person. While not as quick, it’s a simple way to reduce texting and looking upright instead.

If you’re a regular sufferer of pains in the neck, consider your texting habits – and adjust them to better reflect proper health.

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A Stiff Neck Can Actually be a Sign of Food Poisoning

When we hear the term “food poisoning,” most think of an unpleasant scene. One where nights are spent on the bathroom floor and food can’t be kept down until the spell has passed. A stint of nausea, pain, and the feeling of never wanting to eat again. (At least for the time being.) But contrary to popular believe, suffering from food poisoning can mean a whole new list of symptoms. Such as a stiff neck or sore muscles throughout the body. A recent announcement associated with cheeses in the New England area has been linked to listeria – a form of bacteria – telling shoppers to beware or purchasing or eating these items. Officials have warned folks to stay away from certain brands, and to look out for signs of bacteria exposure.

Specifically, a stiff neck – recurring suddenly or for multiple days on end – can mean you’ve been exposed to something other than dairy. And if left untreated, listeria exposure can lead to an infection and further health concerns. Other symptoms include nausea, a sense of confusion, loss of balance, and fever.

Other muscle aches can also be a point of concern. If you’re experiencing aches and pains that are out of the ordinary (and haven’t worked out or strained muscles recently, etc.), it may be time to talk to your doctor about potential food exposures. Be sure to look at local warnings and headlines that may explain just what bacteria(s) you may have been exposed to. Then, take note of symptoms, especially when they began to take place in relation to your intake of contaminated foods.

Oftentimes a stiff neck is only a sign of sleeping wrong or turning one’s head to quickly. However, it can also mean the onset of something far more serious. To ensure your aches are nothing more than sore muscles, talk to your doctor today.

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