13 Jun Managing Neck Pain

Neck pain can be caused by a variety of reasons, including arthritic changes, stress, or bad posture during the day, especially when utilizing electronics and computers. Neck pain can be considered acute (less than 3 months old) or chronic (more than 3 months since onset). Symptoms of neck pain can include pain that worsens throughout the day while holding your head in a static position, muscle tightness, decreased neck mobility, and headache. These symptoms can be managed using some in-home strategies along with the support of a Physical Therapist.

What Increases Neck Pain
One of the first step to managing neck pain is to begin by thinking about what causes your pain:

• Do you experience pain when you use your computer too long?
• How does your neck feel during sleep and upon waking?
• Do you feel more pain after activity that creates a lot of neck strain such as running or gardening?

Consider keeping a “My Pain in the Neck” Journal for a week or two. Make note of when you notice your neck pain, the contributing activity, and any changes in intensity. Your pain journal will help you and your physical therapist determine where to focus for neck pain relief.

In addition to tracking changes in neck pain, ask a family member and/or work colleague to take multiple pictures of you during the day so you can see how you are holding yourself when walking, sitting, and working at the computer or while writing.

“My husband started complaining of neck pain about three months ago. Despite me telling him (a.k.a. nagging, in man-speak) his posture was poor while looking at is phone and laptop all day, which he never believed until he saw his posture in a picture,” states Jennica Colvin, Owner and Occupational Therapist at Trio Rehabilitation in Boerne, Texas.

Living with pain is exhausting! And neck pain can be especially exhausting because without finding position of relief, you are stuck using your neck muscles to hold your head in an upright position.

One common approach to prevent or decrease neck pain caused by working at a desk and sitting hours in front of a computer, is called ergonomics. Ergonomics is the concept of custom fitting a workspace to meet the unique needs of individual’s working habits. An ergonomist looks at a person’s ability to work in their environment through low tech, but effective pain prevention and pain management techniques. Ensuring appropriate sitting posture is a good example where an ergonomics assessment can help by evaluating the following points:

How to Manage Daytime Neck Pain

• Are hips and knees bent to 90 degrees while seated?
• How are feet and ankles positioned when feeling the best? Are feet flat on the floor or placed on an inclined surface?
• Is it possible to lean forward in your pelvis so you are sitting slightly more on your hamstrings vs. buttocks? This provides head and neck muscle relief.
• Are shoulders aligned with your earlobes?
• Are shoulders depressed vs. hiked?
• Is the chin tucked in allowing the back of the neck to be flatter vs. concave?

Another approach to preventing and decreasing neck pain is taking frequent breaks from sitting in front of a computer and/or at a desk. This does not mean work must stop! It simply means take the opportunity to look up and out at the horizon from time to time, while performing gentle neck range of motion exercises. Think of this time as an opportunity to re-center your thoughts and remind yourself that self-care matters. In order to take away the stress of having to remember to take these breaks, set a timer on your phone with a pleasing alarm to do the work of remembering your breaks for you!

How to Manage Neck Pain at Night
Neck pain can be severe enough to cause difficulty sleeping. Managing your neck pain through the night starts with practicing good sleep hygiene. Simple at-night routines can go a long way:

• Limit caffeine consumption.
  Afternoon coffee increase night alertness (jitters), as well as the need to use the bathroom frequently during the night.
• Create proper sleeping environment.
  Ensure your room is dark enough, cool enough, and your mattress is comfortable.
• Practice good posture when lying down and/or sleeping.
  Pillows should be used to keep your neck in line with your back, and your mattress should be firm enough to keep your spine in alignment when sleeping on your side or back.
• Refrain from sleeping on your belly.
  Stomach sleeping puts your neck in a compromised position and may further increase neck pain.

“In order to manage my neck pain, I find that a pillow between too firm and extra soft works best for me. Because my hands often go numb, stretching my neck muscles and holding the stretch alleviate most of hand numbness.”

– Cindy Colvin, Trio Rehab Patient Managing Neck Pain

If you are practicing good ergonomics, good sleep hygiene, and have tried stretching, but you’re still suffering with neck pain, it may be time to consult with your doctor and physical therapist.  A physical therapist can evaluate your neck and posture to help identify the reasons for your pain; including the ability determine the exact muscles that are weak and the ones that need to be stretched for relief. At times, gentle cervical distraction helps with relief. Your therapist can then provide skilled interventions and appropriate exercises to decrease pain discomfort.  Most importantly, you will be given neck pain management techniques to allow you to be in control of your pain.