If you’ve ever had a kink in your neck, you know how painful it can be. Taking care of your neck starts with everyday attention to detail, such as being conscious of the way you’re sitting at the computer, moving things around, working, playing or even lying down. Give your neck some much-deserved TLC to avoid injury. The last thing you want is to have restricted, painful movement when you need to get to work and haul the kids around. But the truth is, more healthcare dollars are spent on treating back and neck pain in the United States than any other condition, according to WebMD. Costs associated with treating back and neck pain, which often go hand in hand, total about $86 billion every year. Do what you can to keep your neck feeling great and you’ll avoid the misery – not to mention the inconvenience of going to the chiropractor – that comes with neck pain.

What Contributes to Neck Pain?

In order to understand how you can lessen the chances of neck pain, it’s important to learn the circumstances that can lead to it. These include stress and tension, strenuous work or exercise, lifting objects the wrong way, sleeping on a pillow that’s either too lumpy or too flat, or cocking your head to one side and holding it for a long time, such as when watching television, reading or working at a computer. You may also get a strained neck from falling or tripping, twisting your neck abruptly, whiplash from a car accident, sports-related injury, or simply just from sleeping wrong.

Preventive Maintenance

To keep neck pain from occurring in the first place, do what you can to relax your neck muscles and stay relaxed. Get a massage to relieve stress, exercise daily to keep your muscles moving, always stretch before a workout, and ensure a comfortable fit before sitting down for a day of work. The most important thing to do is to keep moving. Studies show that movement of muscles and joints is a more effective treatment for neck pain than getting too much rest or taking pain-relieving drugs, according to Mayfield Clinic.
It doesn’t have to be anything too involved or complicated – just a light exercise routine each day, such as walking or jogging, along with proper stretching. This is all that is needed to keep you moving and feeling good. Another way to care for your neck is to maintain good posture while sitting and standing. Try not to stand in one place for too long. When sitting, never cross your legs. Instead, keep your feet on the floor with knees and hips level.

Solutions to Neck Pain

Have you experienced that “pop” in your neck when turning the wrong way or have you ever woken up with a stiff neck? When you twist your neck muscles beyond their usual range of motion, you are essentially developing tears in the muscles, says Livestrong. Fortunately, if this happens, you can soothe the pain with ice, leaving it on the area for about 15 minutes to reduce inflammation. The next day, switch over to heat, which goes a long way toward relaxing those sore muscles. Other solutions include seeking out a Laser Health Spa for non-invasive treatment options.