Neck pain affects approximately two-thirds of the population at some point in their lives. Most of the time it’s our everyday activities and habits that cause neck discomfort in the first place. However it’s caused, neck pain can turn into a chronic condition, affecting your overall health.
Here are a few things that are hurting your neck.
Sitting In a Slumped Position
Slumped sitting refers to a sitting position in which your neck is bent and shoulders are hunched over. It’s a huge contributor to neck stiffness and pain. If you sit in this posture for a prolonged time, there’s additional load on your neck and back muscles. It may also lead to a musculoskeletal or spinal disorder.
The solution? Practice sitting upright.
The more conscious you are of your sitting posture, the better you’ll be able to adapt to a healthier sitting position. This will help in preventing neck pain.
Excessive Screen Time on Devices
Phone screens and tablets are notorious for causing eye strain, but they also contribute to neck pain and stiffness.
These gadgets typically require you to lean forward or bend your neck to look down at the screen which can result in text neck syndrome (yes, that’s a thing!). In text neck syndrome, neck muscles bend for an extended period because of texting or use of handheld devices. Ligaments become stretched beyond normal capacity and become vulnerable to injury.
If you tile your head forward frequently or excessively, you may experience neck pain, soreness, and spasms. Avoided these symptoms by reducing your screen time and taking frequent breaks from your devices. You can also hold the phone closer and at eye level to avoid bending your neck.
Sleeping In an Awkward Position
Sleeping posture is directly linked to neck muscle activity. In fact, how you sleep also affects the onset or persistence of neck and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders. The way you sleep has a huge impact on your neck health.
Sleeping on your stomach can definitely cause your neck to hurt in the morning. In this position, your head is at a sharp angle for hours adding additional stress to your neck. You may find the sleeping position comfortable initially, but it become more painful over time.
If you sleep with your neck is twisted or bent at an odd angle you can stretch the ligaments and muscles too. Old pillows and mattresses lose their support over time making your sleep posture worse. It may be time for a new comfortable pillow and mattress so that you can adjust your sleeping position to avoid neck stiffness.
At Houston Neurosurgery & Spine, we help address all kinds of neck pain and stiffness. As a back and spine center, we can resolve a number of related spinal and neurological disorders.
Call us today at 832.522.8500 to schedule an appointment at our neck pain center in Houston.