Healthy Neck

1. Many forum members note the therapeutic effects that swimming has on back and neck pain. Swimming reduces inflammation, provides quick pain relief, and allows for unrestricted movements. Try the following movements Submerge into the water until the level is up to your neck. Slowly ease into gentle exercises. Now, squat until the water reaches your chin, and then move back and forth and to the right and to the left.If you do not own a pool or cant .....

Use a water pillow

2. Continuing on this water theme, some patients note the rejuvenating effects of water pillows that allow patients to dictate the firmness of their pillow. Specifically, more water equals a firmer pillow; less water provides a softer pillow. Various water pillow products are available on the market and may be worth considering for patients who have tried more traditional neck pillows and braces to no avail. .....

Consider melatonin sleeping aids

3. Even the greatest pillow may not help when neck pain interferes with sleeping. Various supplements that stimulate the hormone melatonin (which is highest prior to bedtime) have helped forum members overcome insomnia.The supplement allows them to get some much needed quality restorative sleep, which encourages the healing process.Of course, when considering supplements, its important to do your own research and speak with a trusted medical profess .....

Focus on magnesium intake

4. Many cases of neck pain are the result of muscle strains or sprains. Ask your doctor or a utritionist about adding magnesium rich foods or a magnesium supplement to your diet.Magnesium is an essential mineral that helps contract and relax muscles, and a supplement may help you avoid neck muscle pain.Magnesium is found in certain fruits, vegetables, nuts, peas, beans, soy products and whole grains. You can also absorb magnesium by soaking in an ep .....

Learn more about acupuncture

5. Acupuncture provides varying degrees of neck pain relief for forum members. Some people swear by its effectiveness, while others note success about half of the time. Others get no relief from acupuncture.One forum member raised the interesting point that the efficacy of acupuncture and deep tissue massage often depends on the skills of the practitioner, making it important for patients to research these treatment methods and to really understand .....

Get a remedial massage

6. Some forum members champion remedial massage for neck pain relief. But whats the difference between a regular massage and a remedial massage? During a remedial massage, oil is applied to and massaged into the skin, with the purpose of penetrating the muscles and joints, removing toxins in the muscles, and ultimately relaxing the muscles and improving joint mobility. .....

Relax via holistic treatments

7. Stress can exacerbate neck pain. Holistic treatments like aromatherapy (during which essential oils are used for relaxation and mood improvement), meditative music, candlelight, etc. may be used to soothe and clear you of neck pain. One chronic neck pain sufferer has experienced so much pain relief from holistic treatments that he now has made such therapy a nightly ritual. .....

Avoid situations that trigger neck pain

8. Other forum members note how limiting instances that spur and exacerbate neck pain has helped them achieve relief. They try to avoid activities like sitting at a computer for long periods of time, driving, heavy lifting, and other activities that require heavy use of the arms. If you cant limit some of these actions, try modifying them. For example, bring the steering wheel as low as possible and put a towel behind your neck when driving. .....

Strategically place ice on certain areas of the body

9. Neck pain may also be joined by nagging headaches and numbness and tingling in the back of the head, neck, shoulders and hands. Some forum members suggest putting ice on different areas of the body (between the thumb and index finger, on the bone 1.5 2 inches behind the ear, on the indent between the middle of the eyebrow) to help achieve relief from such symptoms. .....

Center your monitor

10. People who sit at a computer with the screen even slightly off to the side are ultimately doomed. This results in the head turned to one side. If this is a temporary position of the neck, it is not a big problem. If you sit at a desk for eight hours or more a day, neck pain is waiting to happen. Need I say that this is very easy to correct. Center your screen over your keyboard. .....

Check your lighting

11. If your desk lighting is insufficient, your head will have the tendency to crane forward to read off the computer screen. A forward position of the head places undo stress on the upper vertebrae of the neck and the sub occipital muscles at the base of the head. Headaches are often the result. .....

Get your eyes checked

12. Uncorrected near or far sightedness can cause craning of the head similar to that mentioned with poor lighting.Occasionally I will also see a patient who turns his or her head slightly to the side in order to see directly ahead. These people have learned to rely more on their peripheral vision to focus on objects due to a condition known as strabismus. .....

Do not sleep on your stomach

13. The only way to breathe effectively in this position is to turn your head to one side. Hopefully it is becoming clear to you that sustained neck rotation is a bad thing. .....

Do not read or watch television lying down

14. This bad habit is particularly devastating to necks. It usually results in both a forward and a rotated position of the neck, a double whammy. Some patients .....

Take a 3 minute break every 30 minutes

15. During your break, breathe deeply from your abdomen. Relax your arms in your lap, and then stand up and stretch your neck and shoulders. You can set a recurring reminder in your e mail or scheduling program to help you remember to take a break. Try these workstation stretches recommended by the National Institute of Health. .....

Customize your chair

16. First, adjust your chair height so your feet are firmly supported by the floor (or a foot rest) and your thighs are parallel to the ground. Next, adjust the backrest so that it supports your lower back. The backrest (not your arms) should support your torso weight. .....

Place any devices you use frequently such as your mouse and keyboard within easy reach

17. Set your work surface to elbow height. A desk thats too high can give you shoulder fatigue. If you use a fixed height work surface, try installing a keyboard and mouse tray that you can adjust. .....

Reposition your monitor

18. Place your monitor at arms length and make sure the top of your screen is eye level when sitting up straight. (Bifocal users might need a lower monitor.) Center your monitor and keyboard in front of you so you dont twist your neck while typing. If you refer to documents while typing, consider using a document stand to position documents near eye level. .....

Alternate your hands

19. Throughout the day, try moving the mouse to alternate sides of the keyboard. Switching hands will help balance the load between your arms. This can be particularly helpful if your shoulder or neck hurts on one side only. You can use a symmetrical mouse to make left and right hand pointing more comfortable. Check out the ergonomic symmetrical mouse devices designed by Microsoft. .....

Get a headset for your phone

20. Never hold the phone between your head and shoulder. If you use the phone frequently, use a headset to reduce the strain on your neck. .....

Use a forearm rest

21. A forearm rest can reduce the load on your shoulders by supporting your forearms (not your wrists or elbows) when using the computer. Several ergonomic forearm rest styles are available online. Choose one that doesnt lock you into a single posture. If youre using the arm rests on your chair arm but are experiencing discomfort, try removing the arm rests. They can sometimes place your arms in an awkward position or put pressure on the nerves in yo .....

Dock your notebook

22. When using a notebook computer over long periods of time, attach it to a docking station and use an external keyboard and mouse. If you dont have a docking station, you can raise the height of your notebook screen to eye level and then plug in a USB keyboard and mouse. When youre away from your desk, consider using a notebook mouse instead of the mouse built into your notebook. Check out the wired and wireless notebook mouse devices designed by M .....

Use a sit stand workstation

23. Try using an adjustable sit/stand desk that supports neutral postures. It lets you adjust the height of your work station to accommodate both sitting and standing positions. .....

Forward Flexion

24. Allow your head to fall forward so that your chin approaches the top of your chest. Once you feel a stretch or pull in the muscles that line the back of your neck or once the joints of your neck wont allow you to bend forward any further, whichever comes first, hold this position for as long as is comfortable, up to 30 seconds. .....

Backward Extension

25. Allow your head to bend backwards so that you can look at the ceiling or sky. Once you feel a stretch or pull on the front side of your neck or once the joints of your neck wont allow you to go back any further, whichever comes first, hold this position for as long as is comfortable, up to 30 seconds. .....

Rotation to Right

26. With your shoulders facing forward, turn your head to your right. Once you feel a stretch or pull anywhere in your neck or once the joints of your neck wont allow you to rotate any further, whichever comes first, hold this position for as long as is comfortable, up to 30 seconds. .....

Lateral Flexion to Right

27. With your shoulders facing forward, allow your head to fall toward your right shoulder so that your right ear approaches the top of your right shoulder. Once you feel a stretch or pull along the left side of your neck or when your neck wont allow any further lateral flexion, hold this position for as long as is comfortable, up to 30 seconds. Be sure that your left and right shoulders remain level; for some people, theres a natural tendency to bri .....

Lateral Flexion to Left

28. Repeat the same steps described above, but with your head falling toward your left shoulder. Remember to keep both shoulders level; its your head that should bend down to approach your shoulder, not your shoulder thats raised to approach your head. .....

Take It Easy

29. If youre like most people, you probably live a busy, hectic life. But if youre living with cervical disc disease and have increased neck pain from injury or muscle pain, its important to temporarily ease back on intense activities. While you are resting, find a comfortable position one that causes you the least amount of neck pain. You can place a rolled up towel or a pillow under your neck to help keep your neck in a neutral position. Resting .....

Apply Cold/Heat

30. People often face the hot/cold conundrum: Which one should you use? Generally, the recommendation is to use ice for the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury to reduce swelling, followed by heat to loosen muscles and improve stiffness. But with cervical disc disease, neither heat nor cold is going to penetrate deeply enough to actually relieve the inflammation, so use whichever feels best. Regardless of whether you choose cold or heat, keep it on .....

Stretch

31. Once you are feeling well enough and your doctor gives permission, practice stretching exercises to both relieve neck pain and improve your flexibility. Its best to perform these exercises after warming up muscles with a warm shower, bath, or towel.Here are a few simple stretches for cervical disc disease that you can do at home: 1. Slowly turn your head to the left. With your left hand, apply very light tension on your chin so that your head tur .....

Move It

32. Research is showing that exercise is an effective way to treat neck pain. According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, women with chronic neck pain who performed strength and endurance exercises using resistance bands and light weights significantly reduced their neck pain and disability. Its also important to keep active in general. Thirty minutes of aerobic exercise (walking, biking, swimming) every day can improve b .....

Get Out of Your Slump

33. Bad posture is a major contributor to neck pain. Think about your posture every time you are sitting, standing, or lifting. Always try to keep your head and neck straight and make sure your back is supported. When you sit at your desk, for example, your computer should be at eye level and your chair should be right up against your back (in other words, dont press your nose against the computer screen). Your mouse should be positioned low enough s .....