Most people who never experience neck pain would not pay much attention to this part of the body. This is despite the fact that neck has the duty to protect and look after the spinal cord, cranial nerves, and brain arteries. Moreover, it also carries the weight of the skull and brain, the heaviest and most important organs of human body. Our neck is thus designed to be flexible and can rotate in several directions.
Common causes of neck pain
1. Bad posture habits, e.g. hunching your back, arching your abdomen, or overworking during the day
2. Mental stress
3. Stiff neck
4. Degenerative joints
5. Injury of the neck bones, e.g. from fallings
6. Arthritis, e.g. Rheumatoid arthritis
7. Herniated disc, or when part of your spine presses against a nerve
Treatment
1. If you have neck pain or abrupt stiff neck, your symptoms may result from bad posture or improper sleeping position. Try not to move your neck. Flatten yourself against the floor for a while. Apply ice pack or hot water on the pain area. If your pain does not get better, use painkiller.
2. If you have chronic neck pain, the symptom is usually not severe, though annoying. There may sometimes be difficulties when bowing, turning, or twisting your neck. You may have pain after work or your neck is stiff very often. Apply ice pack or warm water on the pain area. Use painkiller, or give your neck a proper massage.
3. Give your neck an exercise to strengthen and improve the flexibility of your muscles.
4. If the pain does not get better, consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
1. Mind your posture. Do not bend or bow your neck too much or too long.
2. When at work, you should take a break and change the position every hour.
3.Your seat, especially if you have to drive long hour, should have firm backrest or have neck support being the proper level.
4. Sleep on a firm mattress with your head level to it. Do not lie on your face while reading or watching television.
Most important!
- Give your neck an exercise every day and try to reduce the pain from your daily life by doing exercise for a healthy body.
- Nowadays, neck pain is becoming a common illness because of the stress of your neck muscles. This may result from a long day work, brain overuse, frustration, car accidents, or sport activities.
- If you overly or improperly use your neck, you will experience different symptoms, e.g. neck weakness or stiffness, shoulders pain, throbbing pain in your head or arms, numbness down your fingers, nausea and vomiting, or dizziness.
Further information about Bangkok Hospital Phuket's Bone & Joint Center, please
eMail : info@PhuketHospital.com
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