Have you been feeling neck pain for a couple of days and unsure why it occurs? While neck pain is common, many people are clueless about why they have it and why theirs won’t go away. Neck pain may stem from several diseases and disorders involving any neck structures—tissues, nerves, ligaments, bones, or muscles.
How do you assess your neck pain and pin down the underlying cause? Before you visit a chiropractor for neck pain in Carmel, as yourself these questions that will give you clearer hindsight on why you’re being bothered by neck pain.
Your spine’s health depends on your posture. If your posture is bad, it could be the cause of your chronic neck pain. Check your body, are your hips in good alignment with your shoulders and knees when you’re standing up?
Can your feet reach and touch the ground firmly when sitting down? Be sure your lumbar area has full support, especially when sitting down for long hours is part of your daily routine. Make time to stretch once every hour to avoid straining your neck and back.
Stomach sleepers are at a greater risk for neck pain. Every chiropractor for neck pain in Carmel only wants the best for you when they advise against sleeping on your stomach as it harms your neck, spine, and whole nervous system.
When you turn your head to one side—with all the stress placed upon your neck—you compress the structures of your neck. This will then lead to the early degeneration of your spinal discs and joints. So, how should you sleep? Sleeping flat on your back is your best option.
When you carry a heavy shoulder bag, it can misalign your neck. You probably wonder how. Putting so much stress on your one shoulder, especially when you take your bag at an off-kilter angle, will most likely end you up with an unbalanced posture.
Take care of your shoulders and muscles by lightening your bag load. Simply reduce the stuff you carry in your bag; keep it light that you cannot feel any obvious pressure from carrying your stuff. Using a backpack is also a great idea to ease tension because the load weight is distributed evenly in your shoulders.
To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and neck pain, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.
As early as pre-school, we were taught to drink plenty of water every single day—at least eight tall glasses, they said. Our spine is protected by discs found between vertebrae. When standing up during the day, these discs start to become dehydrated. By nighttime, when we’re resting and laying down, the discs begin to rehydrate themselves, provided there is enough water in our bodies.
The lack of water is not good news for the discs. Over time, this will cause swelling, pain, and more problems down the line. While it may sound “too simple” and “too basic”, be mindful of your water intake. Just like cars that need oil to run properly, your body also needs water for your organs, muscles, and joints to function efficiently.
An FHP (forward head position) is one of the leading causes of neck pain, especially in today’s modern work setup. FHP is when you hold your head out, in front of its usual position, and you normally tilt your head back so that you can look forward. Being constantly in this bad posture can strain the bones and muscles of the neck, leading to muscle imbalances and increased weight pressure on your spine.
Every chiropractor for neck pain in Carmel recommends using a computer with an upright posture, making sure that your neck is in a neutral spine position—meaning, your ears should be in line with your shoulders.
Proper sleeping positions and the right mattress and pillows go together. Ideally, your pillow should keep your neck parallel to your mattress. Your mattress’ firmness level must be correct as well.
When looking for the right one, choose something not too soft or too firm. Very firm mattresses can push your pressure points and lead to misalignment. Too soft ones can sink your body into your bed, thus giving you bad posture while you sleep.
The head weighs 10-12 pounds. When checking your mobile phone while your neck craned, you triple the pressure in your neck. Now imagine how much pressure your neck must deal with whenever you browse on your phone several times throughout the day.
Before you drive to your chiropractor for neck pain in Carmel, know that tech addiction is common these days. However, simple lifestyle changes, coupled with the commitment to control your technology use, can go a long way in protecting your neck.
If your neck pain is giving you discomfort, have your neck alignment checked. Visit your chiropractor for neck pain in Carmel for the proper solution.
For precise detection and appropriate correction of your neck pain, seek help from Tymothy L. Flory, D.C. The uppermost bones in your neck are the ones that balance your skull and move your head. Thus, it’s imperative to seek proper advice when you have stiffness and soreness in your neck.
To find out more about neck pain and misalignments, visit Atlas Spinal Care located at 2289 Hancock St Suite 35, Carmel, IN 46032. Our team is committed and always up on the latest head and neck research to help restore your body to its full potential.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Flory, call our Carmel office at 463-223-8227. You can also click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
