What Causes Neck Pain and How to Avoid It
August 20, 2010
It’s no wonder that millions of Americans are plagued by neck pain every day. Our busy lives and hectic work schedules can all contribute to the occasional bout of neck pain. However, for many people, neck pain isn’t just a rare occurrence – it’s a cumbersome daily experience. If this sounds all-too-familiar, then it’s time to take action. From injury to stress and everything in between, identifying the causes of neck pain is the first proactive step in treating it…
…Not to mention stopping it for good.
Take a look at the list below to identify the cause of your neck pain – and how to avoid it.
- Are you experiencing mild discomfort in your neck? If so, it’s highly likely that your sleeping position is the neck pain culprit. Poor sleeping positions – such as lying on the stomach or side – can force the neck into awkward angles, which puts tremendous amounts of pressure on its sensitive nerves. Additionally, these sleeping positions can force the lumbar spinal cord (the lower back region) into an unnatural alignment, which also contributes to neck discomfort.
- There’s no doubt that chronic neck pain can be a hassle – but worrying about it can make the pain even worse. Worry and stress are two of the biggest neck pain culprits; unfortunately, they’re all too common with our busy lifestyles. Easing this type of neck pain involves reducing the amount of stress in your life, or seeing a chiropractor who can show you gentle exercises to loosen and relax your strained neck muscles.
- Poor work posture can also contribute to chronic neck pain. Because a majority of Americans are sedentary for more than eight hours a day, it’s no surprise that posture can have a significant impact on the neck muscles. To avoid this kind of pain, invest in an office chair that supports the natural curve of your spine, or place a rolled-up towel between your chair and your lumbar spine to support your lower back’s curve.
- Trauma, injury and arthritis are also significant contributors to neck pain. In this case, seeing a doctor and chiropractor to treat the neck pain is highly recommended. One important note: in some instances, neck pain can be a symptom of meningitis, a rare but serious disease which is most common about young adults living in shared communities, like dormitories. If your neck pain is accompanied by a rash, fever, severe headache and vomiting, call 911 immediately and seek treatment.
To avoid this type of neck pain, try switching your sleeping position so that you’re laying on your back. Investing in a memory-foam mattress can also help alleviate nighttime neck pain.
When considering treatment for neck pain, our physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
What Kind of Mattress Should I Buy?
August 5, 2010
When it comes to choosing the perfect mattress, there’s plenty of advice out there: choose a firm mattress for the best back support. Comfort is the biggest indicator of a quality mattress. A great mattress can last for decades.
Most of us accept these pieces of advice without as much as a second thought. But have you ever stopped to think that these “pearls of wisdom” may actually be contributing to your back and shoulder problems?
That’s right: according to expert chiropractors, an unsupportive mattress can cause some of the most frequent complaints regarding back, neck and shoulder pains. And considering that we spend more than a third of our lives on our mattresses, it’s vital that you take the time to choose the perfect mattress for your posture – not to mention your quality of sleep!
So what kind of mattress should you buy? Take at look at the following tips; once you’ve had a good night’s sleep on a great mattress, you’ll never sacrifice quality for price again!
- First, it’s important to educate yourself about what you should expect from your mattress. A great mattress should support the contours of your body, which will relieve pressure from your joints, nerves and spinal cord. Thanks to rapid advancements in “slumber technology”, today’s mattresses offer individuals a range of styles and comfort levels that can offer a unique and healthy sleep. From memory-foam topped mattresses to hypo-allergenic latex mattresses, you can count on finding exactly what you’re looking for.
- Forget about accepting that secondhand mattress from your mother-in-law; according to Lisa Helmanis, author of “Sleep Better Naturally”, after ten years, a mattress deteriorates by as much as 75% from its original shape and condition. With this statistic in mind, it’s easy to see why it’s worth shelling out the extra cash on a top-quality mattress.
- Learn your mattress types before shopping for your perfect fit. Open-sprung mattresses (or spring mattresses) are the most common; however, they offer little support for those who suffer from persistent back and neck pains. Pocket-sprung mattresses are perfect for sleepers who differ in size and weight, while memory foam mattresses mould to the shape of your body, which offers you a significant amount of support and comfort.
- A latex mattress is perfect for allergy sufferers, in addition to being lost-lasting and highly durable. Finally, synthetic mattresses work to correctly align your body thanks to a unique memory foam composition. It’s definitely one of the most expensive types of mattresses out there, but back sufferers often report getting the best pain-free slumber from this kind of mattress.
When considering treatment for back, shoulder and neck pains, our physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
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