Neck pain can be spurred by poor posture, lack of sleep or movement, reduced muscle strength, and inflammation. It is usually not serious. But if it accompanied by other symptoms such as severe headache, weakness, and radiating pain, you must see a doctor right away. Back pain can affect other parts of the body that can impair your movement and productivity. Leaving this problem unresolved can also affect your financial health as you’ll end up paying for expensive therapies once your condition gets worse. 

Over-the-counter medications and ice/warm applications are not always enough to relieve the pain. Sure, these are convenient and cheap strategies, but these don’t guarantee that it can provide relief from neck pain. You may have to use a combination of treatments to find the best pain management. This is especially true for chronic back pain.

If you’ve been suffering from chronic neck pain and tried every treatment you know but to no avail, this article can help. Here are some tips from a Natural Med Doc:

Invest in a High-Quality Ergonomic Chair

A forward head posture reduces the stress on the spine when hunching. Proper posture maintains the balance of the head on the spine, eliminating the need for extra effort from the neck muscles.

Consider investing in a high-quality chair that encourages proper posture and provides support to your cervical spine. This should be one of your priorities, especially if your lifestyle requires you to sit in front of a computer for hours. 

Find a chair that has a headrest where you can comfortably rest your head while working. You should also keep a headrest in your car. Ergonomic chairs are very common today, which means that you won’t have any problems finding one that suits your budget.

When working, make sure that your eyes are level with the top of your computer. Be mindful of your position whenever you’re sitting to avoid your neck pain from getting worse. Alternatively, you could also book trigger point therapy.

Use a Water Pillow

Chronic neck pain can affect the quality of sleep and causes a series of physical and mental problems from there. While there is no single type of pillow that is best for all neck pain sufferers, there are reports claiming that water pillows are particularly helpful.

This is probably because a water pillow tends to follow the shape of your head and neck while providing firm support. This means that regardless of what your sleeping position is or how much you weigh, a water pillow will contour to suit the shape and provide optimal support to your neck. This will lessen the pressure on your neck as you sleep and prevent neck pain from reoccurring. You can even pair your water pillow with a neck massager, such as those from RelaxUltima.com for optimal comfort. 

There are various water pillow brands in the market today, and they may be worth a try if braces and traditional pillows won’t work on you.

Make Time to Meditate

 Numerous studies have shown that meditation comes with a plethora of benefits, and one of them is pain relief.

Find a corner that is far from noise and distractions where you can go to meditate. You can find this spot at home, or even in your workplace. If you want to change the scenery, you can even choose to meditate in a quiet place outdoors. There are different forms of meditation, such as breathing exercises and guided imagery. You can also try out mindfulness, focused or movement meditation. This practice is also helpful in improve productivity because it clears the mind and puts you in perspective.

There are small groups that conduct regular group meditations. You can choose to join these groups and meditate with people who have the same goal as you. These groups will make it very easy for you to meditate, especially if you’re a novice when it comes to meditating. If you’re not ready for group work, there are free apps and videos online to guide you in getting started.

Water Therapy

Swimming is great for the body that even women are allowed to do it during the entire pregnancy. It is a low-impact activity that can relax the muscles and calms the mind. Because most of your body weight is supported by water, a lot of stress is lifted from the cervical spine.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor first about the most suitable swimming strokes for you. Don’t add swimming to your regular routine without the go signal of your doctor as this can only do more harm than good. 

Experts on pain management Phoenix recommend water therapy to people with limited movement. In this type of therapy, you will submerge in a warm pool and perform neck-friendly, gentle exercises.

Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Chronic neck pain can affect your quality of life. As a result, you become more frustrated, more emotional, and more prone to making wrong decisions. Chronic neck pain can also take a toll on your relationships and careers. All of these worsen the neck pain and you’re trapped in a vicious cycle.

Cognitive behavior therapy may lessen, if not completely eliminate, the pain by helping you have the right mindset. A therapist will teach you positive ways to face the challenge. Oftentimes, this type of therapy is just a complement supplement to a treatment plan.

The results of the research are mixed when it comes to the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy on pain management. But some claim it helped them, and that may be enough reason to consider it.

 Visit a Physical Therapist

Neck pain that doesn’t go away after an injury should be referred to physical therapy. While it is commonly seen as a form of physical rehabilitation, physical therapy can also help:

• Identify poor posture
• Identify habits that contribute to neck stiffness and pain
• Teach ways to avoid further injury
• Strengthen the muscles in your neck through certain exercises

Discuss with your doctor the possibility of physical therapy being more effective against your neck pain. There is also evidences that this type of therapy may become more powerful when combined with aerobic activities or other treatments.

Take note when the neck pain occurs, how long it lasts, and the other symptoms that can come with it. This information is helpful in pointing out the root cause of the problem.

Reminder

Being smart with your food choices is also important for pain management. Bones and muscles that do not receive adequate amounts of nutrients become weak and more vulnerable to painful injuries.

Make sure to include food that is rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and Vitamin D into your diet. You may also undergo nutritional counseling to determine your own nutritional needs based on the results of tests.