Having Neck Pain? Your Chiropractor Could Help
Most of us move at a daily pace that tempts us to skip over little things, moving right on to the next position, the next project. I have worked with people who really seemed to be glued to their screens. In some cases that caught up with them as they forgot about good posture and hunched forward for long periods of time.
I have known other people who worked with small tools or did extensive amounts of sewing. They also frequently ran into neck pain.
Some positions become routine, as we talk on the phone or peer into a screen or work with our hands.
Harvard Health says neck pain seldom starts overnight and it may be harmed by poor posture, arthritis or degenerative disk disease. They recommend not staying in one position too long, and keeping eyeglass prescriptions up to date. They also advise understanding healthy work limits and getting enough sleep.
In spite of your best efforts if neck pain is still an ongoing thing, see your doctor and your chiropractor now.
Visit Your Chiropractor
In your first visit, the chiropractor will use a spinal adjustment to evaluate spinal health. Then a discussion of current pain and current daily activities will follow along with a complete review of medical history. The chiropractor’s goal will be to seek to achieve pain relief without medication or surgery.
The chiropractor may ask about your workstation setup. Is your computer monitor at eye level? Do you use a headset for your phone? Do you keep touch screen tablets at an angle, instead of bending over yours? Or do you spend long periods of time in hobbies like woodworking or knitting and sewing?
Then the chiropractor may talk about the importance of having even support in your mattress and not using too many pillows. There may also be advice about protecting the neck when you watch TV and not using the arm of the couch as a headrest. It can also mean taking frequent breaks when you have fixed position tasks. The chiropractor may suggest relaxation techniques and losing weight too. As you learn more good ways to protect your neck, there will be other suggestions to avoid future injuries and stay active.
In the cases that I have seen, ongoing monitoring by the chiropractor, backed up with some key advice made the difference. Work and hobbies and life kept going instead of shrinking or stopping.
Warning: See your doctor if there is fever, or weight loss associated with your neck pain.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of US Department of Education