Whether it’s from staring at your phone, working at your desk all day or sleeping in a weird position – these can be a real pain in the…well, neck! But relief can be easier and closer than you might think.
So, let’s get into some easy ways to relieve and prevent your neck pain from the comfort of your own home, plus how your chiropractic care can give you that extra edge in staying pain free.
1. Fixing Your Posture
Let’s be honest, we’re all guilty of slouching, whether it’s working from home or scrolling on your phone, keeping your neck in a neutral position is key.
Try this:
- The 90-90 Rule – When you’re at your desk, keep your feet flat, knees at 90 degrees and elbows at 90 degrees and your screen should be at your eye level too.
- The Phone Lift – Instead of looking down at your phone, hold it up at eye level to avoid that ‘tech neck’.
- The Mirror Test – Stand sideways in front of a mirror; your ears should align with your shoulders. If your head is too far forward this is putting your neck under strain.
Chiropractic adjustments help correct the natural curves of our spines with specific spinal adjustments and posture exercises, making it easier to maintain healthy alignment.
2. Stretching Out
Stiffness in the neck often indicates we need a good stretch! Gentle movements can help loosen the tight surrounding muscles of the neck and improves flexibility too.
Stretches You Can Do Anywhere:
- Chin Tucks – Sit up straight and gently pull your chin towards your chest. Hold for 5 seconds, relax and repeat 10 times.
- Side Neck Stretch – Tilt your head towards your shoulder and hold for 10 seconds then repeat on the other side.
- Shoulder Rolls – Roll your shoulders forward and backward 10 times each.
Your primary Chiropractor at Epoch can identify tight muscle areas and recommend personalised stretches to target problem sports.
3. Applying Heat, Ice and Massage
If your neck is sore, then alternating between heat and ice can work wonders.
- Ice – Helps reduce inflammation, applying a cold pack for 15 minutes if you’ve had a recent flare-up.
- Heat – Relaxes stiff muscles – using a warm compress or taking a hot shower to ease tension can help.
- Massage – Releases knots or areas of tension using the pads of your fingers or a massage tool to gently work into sore areas.
4. The Best Sleeping Position
Your sleeping position could be causing your neck pain. If you’re waking up with stiffness, it’s time to rethink your pillow and posture.
The Best Sleeping Tips for Your Neck:
- Use a Supportive Pillow – A cervical pillow that supports the natural curve of your neck can help.
- Sleep on Your Back or Side – Sleeping on your stomach is a no go! This massively strains your neck. Back or side sleeping is the best.
- Keeping Your Spine Aligned – If you’re a side sleeper, ideally your head pillow should be the same depth from your ear to your shoulder. Use a pillow between your knees to keep your spine straight too.
As chiropractors we can help advise you on the right pillow and sleeping position based on your spine’s alignment.
5. Strengthening Your Neck and Shoulders
Having weak muscles can contribute to pain, so strengthening exercises can help keep your neck supported.
- Shoulder Blade Squeeze – sit up straight and squeeze your shoulder blades together, imagine trying to hold a marble between them. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times.
- Neck Resistance – Place your hand on your forehead and gently press against it for 5 seconds. Repeat on the sides and back of your head too.
- Wall Angels – Standing with your head and back against a wall, arms bent like goalposts, and slowly raise and lower them, trying to keep your head and back in contact with the wall.
6. Chiropractic Adjustments
If you have tried these home remedies and they’re just not helping in shifting your neck pain, then it might be time to visit Epoch.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help:
- Adjustments – Spinal alignment is key for allowing the curves of your spine to distribute weight evenly and allow for proper movement. Specific intentional chiropractic adjustments take pressure of the nerves to allow your brain and body to communicate better.
- Targeted Exercises – Potentially another muscle group is involved, and this is causing your neck pain, we can identify and offer targeted exercises to help reduce muscular tension and helping improve your overall flexibility and range of movement.
- Postural Advice – We offer complimentary talks or posture screenings for local groups and businesses around Lincoln. This is a complimentary service we offer so there are no costs to your business. At Epoch our mission is to inspire, educate and serve our local community and one way we like to do this is getting out into our local area and seeing what advice or guidance we can give to help enhance the quality of life of Lincoln!
Our talks can be tailored to your needs, here are a list of our past talks:
- How to get rid of neck pain;
- Headaches;
- Improve back pain;
- How to improve your quality of life through movement;
- What is stress and how we can combat it.
If this is something that you or someone you know may benefit from then please email Tom for more information.
Final thoughts
Neck pain doesn’t have to be a constant struggle. With the right posture, stretches, exercises and chiropractic care, you can keep your neck strong and pain free.
If home remedies aren’t enough then consider booking a consultation with one of our chiropractors to get expert help tailored to your needs.
We are always happy!
With love,
Sophie
