You turn your neck right, left, top, or bottom to look at your surroundings. Some find it easy while others feel a sharp pain in neck movement. Not only this, some experience constant pain while performing any activity or even sitting ideal. While neck pain goes away on its own, almost 50% of the population experience it in long-term chronic stages.
Have you ever tried to investigate the reason behind it or just managed it by taking painkillers? The writer supposes, that most of you have simply ignored it. If this is so, then pay attention as neck pain in earlier stages if left untreated can turn into several other complications like cervical spondylosis and may also leave you with a cervical collar around your neck forever.
There are ample reasons that surround you if neck pain troubles you. Let it be
- Poor sitting posture
- Muscle strain
- Injuries
- Nerve compression
- Worn-out joints
- Tech neck (excessive use of digital devices by sitting in the wrong position) etc.
If you think about the neck pain relief procedure, then just to amaze you, it is important to note that this pain can be easily managed and vanished by doing simple stretches. Before you seek medical attention or incorporate other medicines, try out the quick and effective neck pain exercises mentioned in this blog, and you may turn out with a pain-free neck, saving your pockets.
Importance of Stretches & Exercises
The neck is a part of the spine’s topmost region which consists of 7 bones called the cervical vertebrae. In between these bones, there are facet joints that connect all cervical joints. The presence of this connection enables the neck movement in all directions. Disturbance in the structure or muscles is a direct invitation to aches and neck pain treatment involves stretches and exercises which are foremost important to attain relief.
Neck pain exercises and stretches will ease the mobility around the neck and are important to return to a healthy state. It will support the muscle tissues by fastening the repairing process. While performing these exercises, it is necessary to understand your pain levels. In starting, these stretches may increase the symptoms slightly but later you will taste long-term relief.
When to Seek Medical Attention
If the pain remains persistent for weeks and the symptoms continue for a long period then contact a medical professional right away. Some of the conditions where medical attention is necessary include:
- Pain worsens over time even after self-care.
- Pain also causes headaches or fever
- Excessive pain radiates down to the arm or back causing numbness, tingling or weakness.
Precautions to Keep in Mind
Before implementing any of these exercises it is essential to keep a few tips in mind. These tips will help you to absorb the utmost benefits.
- Warm up your muscles before exercise as it will widen the blood vessels, increasing the supply of oxygen and blood. It safeguards the tissues and muscles from injuries during exercise.
- You need to ensure proper posture before beginning any stretch exercise to get the maximum relief.
- Stay relaxed and concentrate fully on the exercises.
- Do not push yourself beyond limits. If the pain aggravates during exercises, perform it gently by maintaining time breaks.
4 Simple Stretches for Immediate Relief
Here are the simple, easy stretches that work efficiently for neck pain relief. It enhances mobility and recovers damaged muscles and tissues.
Chin Tucks
This easy stretching exercise when practiced regularly alleviates the pain. It tends to end up stiffness and helps to maintain a good posture. All that is included in this exercise is that it balances the neck straight on the spine instead of bending forward wrongly.
Method to perform:
- Sit or stand straight with the ears directly over the shoulders.
- Now place the index finger on your chin.
- Then pull the chin and head straight back without moving the finger until a strong stretch is felt in the cervical region of your spine.
When to perform & how much?
Neck Tilts
Tilting exercises can be performed in forward, backwards, left, or right directions. These simple steps are the best among neck pain relief tips where you will experience a great change.
Method to perform:
- Sit on your feet or stand straight.
- Maintain the shoulders above your ears and lower your chin towards your chest. Hold the position for 15-30 seconds, then relax and get back to the normal position.
- Perform this in the opposite direction by facing the chin towards the ceiling and the base of your skull backward. Hold for 10-15 seconds and return to the starting point.
- Sit straight or stand.
- Now maintain a straight position and tilt your head leftwards to touch the shoulder. Stop when stretch is felt but remember not to raise your shoulder.
- Hold the stretch for 10-15 seconds and then return to the start position.
- Repeat this for the right side as well.
When to perform & how much?
Side-to-Side Head Rotation
You can perform this exercise either by standing or sitting. These simple neck stretches ease you with comfort and help you to slowly end neck pain. It enhances the muscle movements and improves flexibility.
Method to perform:
- Sit or stand in a straight position and align your head with the back.
- Slowly turn your face towards the left by aligning your chin with your shoulders.
- Now maintain this position for about 10-15 seconds until you feel stretched and then relax.
- Repeat this for another side as well.
When to perform & how much?
Neck pain stretches at home are an easy and comfortable way to improve neck mobility. To perform this stretch, try to make 10 repetitions of 10-15 seconds each at any time of the day.
Shoulder Shrugs
Stretches for neck pain including shoulder shrugs is a wonderful way to prevent neck strain. It is a wonderful option if you are working on electronic gadgets like a laptop or computer.
Method to perform:
- Sit or stand in a correct straight position.
- Now, slowly raise both shoulders upwards.
- Hold it for 5-10 seconds and then return to the normal position.
When to perform & how much?
Effective Neck Exercises to Reduce Pain
Neck Strengthening Exercise
Neck strengthening exercises aim at empowering the muscles and making them strong enough to resist any strain, injury, or pain. It is also believed that if you have strong neck muscles then your respiratory system’s and breathing quality are enhanced.
Method to perform:
- Machine Flexion- This involves enhancing flexibility by moving the chin to the chest.
- Extension- It is just opposite to the machine flexion where the chin goes away from the chest.
- Lateral Flexion- This exercise puts stress on the opposite side of the neck where the ear touches the shoulder.
- Rotation- Looking right to left while sitting in a straight position will improve the mobility of neck muscles.
When to perform & how much?
Scapular Squeezes
These exercises are also known as shoulder blade squeezes that aim at strengthening the muscles between the shoulder blades. It is one of the best exercises for stiff neck as it improves the head posture in patients with neck pain.
Method to perform:
- Sit on a chair and bend slightly by aligning your ears, shoulders, and hips in a row.
- Now raise your arms to shoulder height, bending the elbows, with forwarded arms.
- Then move your arms by squeezing the shoulder blades together.
- Hold it for 10-15 seconds and then relax.
When to perform & how much?
Cat-Cow Pose
The pose is extensively known for upper back and neck exercises which stretch your muscles by improving the mobility and flexibility of this region. It provides great neck pain relief and eases movements.
Method to perform:
- Stay relaxed and sit on your arms and knees in such a way that the arms are just below the shoulders and the knees are beneath the hips.
- Now, stretch your spine upwards by looking at the ceiling and stretch your chest. Inhale while performing.
- Then exhale when you turn to a cat pose and round your spine outwards. Release your head towards the floor.
- After this relax in a normal position and repeat.
When to perform & how much?
You can perform this exercise regularly for one minute and then relax. Repetition of 5-6 times will produce beneficial results.
Thread the Needle Stretch
Thread the needle stretch is a super exercise to be performed either to warm up or cool down yourself. It includes the upper trunk of your body i.e. neck, shoulders, chest, and back. The purpose of thread the needle exercise is full body stretch while releasing the tension from the body.
Method to perform:
- Build a tabletop position just similar to the last exercise described.
- Now stretch your one arm towards the ceiling and then bring it down following the opposite hand as you thread it beneath your opposite arm.
- Maintain this position for 10-20 seconds and then repeat the same for another arm.
When to perform & how much?
You can perform it any time of the day when you feel to release the neck and shoulder tension. Repetition of 8-10 tines will help to lower the neck pain.
Lifestyle Adjustments for Long-Term Relief
Lifestyle amendments are the essential changes that are required to attain long-term neck pain relief. There is no need to suffer every day with neck pain. Instead, follow these lifestyle methods to relieve neck pain fast.
- Do not stay in the same position for a long time.
- Adjust your screen of electronic devices at eye level to avoid the wrong posture.
- If you have weak eyesight and wear glasses then keep the eyesight checked by a doctor regularly.
- Avoid the use of several pillows under your head.
- Perform stress management techniques to avoid any mental issues as they can aggravate your neck pain.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, you might go through neck pain once in a lifetime, which can vary from mild to severe. Also after a whole day of working either on your phone, computer, or laptop you all might be familiar with that crick in your neck when you rotate or move it. We have discussed numerous immediate neck pain relief stretches which in practice will bless you with great comfort. Rest, as all the readers might know good food, a healthy lifestyle, and some regular yoga practices always benefit neck pain. So, implement it every day and a healthy, pain-free life is not far away. If you want to consult our doctors and get full assistance on discomforting neck pain then contact us through the website or call us. We also provide online consultation facilities for our patients.
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