Anyone who lives with neck discomfort knows there’s a good reason we call annoying things a pain in the neck. When you have a stiff, sore, or outright painful neck, the smallest turn of your head can be a problem. Suddenly, doing things you love becomes more challenging. Even sleeping or resting on the couch might not bring you relief.
Fortunately, you’re not stuck in this state. At our six LA Pain Doctor offices throughout Louisiana, Firas Hijazi, MD, and Satvik Munshi, MD, can apply their specialization in neck pain to help you find relief.
In many cases, that means pairing treatment with lifestyle modifications. Why? Because oftentimes, neck pain starts with bad habits. To help alleviate your pain, let’s look at three common habits you likely want to adjust.
Watching something on the big screen — or even the small screen — probably keeps your neck in a good position. But go smaller, like your computer or phone, and there’s a chance you’re hunching over to get a good look. This can strain the vertebrae in your cervical spine, the uppermost portion of your spine. In fact, this is such a common cause of pain that experts now deem it “tech neck.”
If you spend a lot of time looking at your phone, be mindful of how you hold it. Also, if you use a computer for work or school, elevate the monitor or laptop so you can hold your neck comfortably upright as you look at it.
Similarly, a slumped posture can cause neck pain. When you sit or stand upright with good posture, you get the support of your skeleton. When you hunch forward, it puts more strain on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your neck and back. This can strain them, causing neck pain.
The way you sleep matters. Choose a pillow that lets you keep your cervical spine in neutral alignment. If you can, try to sleep on your back, too. This gives your neck the most support.
Ultimately, everyone has different sleep preferences. And you might change your position throughout the night. Don’t be afraid to try different pillows to find what works best for you.
Protecting your neck while you look at your devices, improving your posture, and finding a supportive sleep setup can all help your neck. In some cases, though, you’ll need more direct intervention to get relief.
Here at LA Pain Doctor, we offer a variety of treatments, from nerve blocks to trigger point injections. We tailor our treatment to your unique discomfort and its cause.
You’re not stuck with a pain in the neck. To get relief from your discomfort, call the LA Pain Doctor office nearest you — we have locations in Metairie, Laplace, Harvey, New Orleans, Luling, and Hammond, Louisiana — or schedule an appointment online to get started.
