One of the biggest chronic pains of the 21st century is neck and shoulder pain.
Frankly, it’s not surprising. Most of us spend hours a day hunched over computers and mobile devices. Compound that with sports injuries and/or other types of injuries (like whiplash) and it’s kind of amazing more of us don’t walk around like Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Three Ways to Ease Neck and Shoulder Pain
1. An ergonomic desk set up can help relieve shoulder and neck pain that’s brought about because of poor posture.
Think about it.
If you have a desk job, you probably hunch your shoulders and jut your neck out (sounds attractive doesn’t it?).
Fact is, that’s the typical computer posture and creates huge amounts of stress and tension in your upper body because your spine is out of alignment. This then comes as no surprise to find that some people may check out sites like SnackNation (if medical marijuana is the route worth taking), in the hopes of finding an alternative way of managing these pains. As CBD is said to help with chronic pain and various other ailments, this may be something worth considering, especially if the pains are showing no signs of improvements even after visiting a doctor.
This can cause great pain for some office workers. They decide to enjoy something similar to pure pulls to ensure that they can manage their pain effectively.
Good posture keeps your head (and neck) in a vertical position so your head, neck, and spine all flow together seamlessly. Just like a smooth river without any obstacles. If you sit with your neck jutting out, you’ve created an obstacle. Even though you may not feel it, your neck and spine now have to work harder to keep your head balanced.
Add rounded shoulders and upper back and you probably find you have lots of tension in your upper back.
All of it prevents oxygen from flowing freely through your body which means you feel more tired. It also causes neck and shoulder pain.
Getting regular chiropractic treatments, massage therapy, and an ergonomic desk set up will help you feel better. TMS & Brain Health in California deal with issues that people face in terms of mental and physical health, if you are a chronic pain sufferer checking them out to see if they can help you, may benefit your physical health.
2. Stretch – Take breaks throughout the day and incorporate some gentle stretching.
You don’t have to look like the office loony to feel benefits. Even simple shoulder and neck rolls can help loosen the knots in your upper back. Use a resistance band to help stretch your muscles. You can hold it in front of you with both hands and pull it gently – like taffy.
Next, hold it over your head and tug on either end so it stretches.
Combine those with checking your posture and straightening up throughout the day and you’ll be on your way to releasing tension and building strength.
3. Combine Chiropractic and Massage Therapy – The chiropractic treatments “puts everything back where it belongs” in terms of your bones, tissues and ligaments and the massage helps the re-acclimate to where they’re supposed to be so they stay put.
This usually takes a few sessions but some patients have said it made a huge difference.
Your Spine Is Designed to Move
Whether you bend, sit, or twist, your back (and everything it’s connected to) work together to make your movements happen.
Within the 26 bones that form your back are a maze of nerves, tissues, and ligaments that provide cushioning, support and flexibility.
When you think about it, it’s kind of amazing.
The cervical vertebrae are 7 bones that make up your neck. They can shift position a millimeter due to a fall or even repeated motion (like when you spend hours hunched over a computer) and when that happens, you can hurt!
Maybe it doesn’t seem like a big deal but when a bone is out of alignment – even the tiniest bit – it can press on an adjacent nerve. You’ve heard of something “getting on your nerves” – this is the literal manifestation.
If you suffer with chronic neck and shoulder pain, see your chiropractor about discovering the underlying cause. Maybe it stems from an old accident or it’s your current habits. Whichever it is, an Xray can take a “snapshot” of what’s going on in there and your chiropractor can recommend a treatment plan.
After all, aren’t you ready to feel good again?
If you’re Doylestown, Pa, Dr. Jeff McQuaite offers a new patient special. Stop in and feel the difference.
