Cervical: Effective Ways To Reduce The Neck Pain

Your keyboard keys go click, clack, click, for 9 hours straight. While your fingers are typing at a breakneck speed, your neck, arms and shoulders stay stiff. When you are back home after a long shift and lay down to relax, you notice a little soreness in your neck but you ignore thinking it will get better by morning. But does it? Next morning is again followed by clicking and clacking.

Long working hours and increased screen time are major causes of underlying conditions and one of them is cervical. Cervical pain can be excruciating at times that it can erect a barrier for you to carry out simple day-to-day tasks. 

With Doctor’s guidance, OnlyMyHealth team has jotted down effective ways to reduce cervical pain, but before that let’s understand its symptoms and causes. 

Early Symptoms Of Cervical Pain You Should Not Ignore

1. Sharp pain in the neck 

2. Frequent headaches

3. Stiffness in neck, unable to move neck

4. Pain in shoulders and arms

5. Trouble in keeping your balance

6. Unable to control bladder and bowels

7. Numbness in shoulders, arms or hands

8. Dizziness

Speaking about why to not ignore these signs Dr Pramod Bhor, Director of Orthopedics and Robotic Joint Replacement Surgeon, Fortis Hospital, Navi Mumbai said, “Recognizing the early signs of neck pain is crucial for timely intervention. Persistent discomfort, stiffness, or aching in the neck and shoulders should not be ignored, as these symptoms may indicate underlying issues with the cervical spine. Ignoring these warning signs may lead to more severe conditions, affecting daily life and mobility.”

Also read: Neck Pain Due To Bras? Expert Explains The Causes And Role Of Choosing The Right Fit

Causes Of Cervical Pain

When asked what causes cervical pain, Dr Bhor said, “Various factors including poor posture, muscle strain, or conditions like herniated discs can cause cervical pain.” 

Other common causes of cervical pain include sleeping in a wrong or improper position, prolonged usage of laptop or computer and wear and tear in the bone of the neck, which mostly happens as a normal part of ageing. 

Ways To Reduce Cervical Pain

With the help of Dr Bhor, we have listed down effective ways of reducing cervical pain. 

1. Posture Correction: Dr Bhor emphasised on maintaining a proper posture to alleviate the stress on the neck. 

2. Regular Neck Exercises: Doing specific neck exercises can strengthen your neck muscles and improve flexibility. Moving your neck, stretching arms and shoulders once in an hour or two can help reduce the pain and stiffness in your neck. 

3. Heat and Cold Therapy: Applying heat or cold packs can help reduce inflammation and soothe cervical pain.

4. Ergonomic Adjustments: According to Dr Bhor, optimising workstations and daily activities to minimise strain on the neck.

Also read: Struggling with Back Pain from Desk Work? Try These 5 Yoga Poses for Relief

Things to Avoid with Cervical Pain

1. Sitting, standing or even sleeping in wrong positions can affect your neck and cause pain. It is advisable to not sit or stand in the same position for a long time, especially while using electronic devices. 

2. Excessive screen time can harm your neck and shoulders by creating strain on them. Dr suggests to limit the screen time to prevent cervical pain.

3. Overlooking stress is not to be compromised. Emotional stress can contribute to muscle tension causing cervical pain. 

Bottomline

Keeping dos and don’ts checked, helps you prevent underlying conditions like cervical and even help in reducing the pain. If you do not take steps to reduce or prevent and overlook the pain, it can cause severe complications.