Neck Pain

The pain and stiffness in the neck are usually caused by stretching or spasm of the muscles of your neck. They can also be caused by inflammation (swelling) of the joints of your neck. The neck pain is sometimes caused by arthritis or injury to the discs of your neck vertebrae (cervical disks).

Neck pain can cause other problems such as headaches and shoulder pain in the upper back or arm.

Causes for Neck Pain :

• Having the head tilted for too long.
• Use a pillow too flat, too thick or does not properly support your head.
• Sleeping on your belly or neck crooked.
• Pressing his forehead on his hand or his arm.
• Watch TV or read in bed.
• Be stressed.
• Receiving a blow to the head or neck.
• Too much exercise his upper body and arms in a single sitting.

Important: If you have a very stiff neck, fever and headache, consult a doctor immediately to make sure you do not have meningitis.

Treatment for Neck Pain :

• Some of the best ways to prevent neck pain are to adopt a good posture and exercise his neck.
• If the pain is worse at the end of the day, analyze what you do during the day.
• Take several short breaks to avoid sitting too long in one position.
• When you work at the computer, the top of your screen should be at eye level.
• It can be very tiring to talk on the phone, use a headset or phone speaker.
• Move your seat in your car to support it though your head and your lower back.
• If you have more pain in the neck in the morning, think about how you sleep and what you did yesterday.
• Use a cervical pillow or a mattress firmer.
• Try not to use pillows that make you tilt your head forward when you sleep on your back.
• When you sleep on your side, keep the nose aligned with the center of your body.
• Do relaxation exercises if you feel that stress is causing your pain.
• Exercise your neck once a day to strengthen your muscles.
• Place cold compresses on sore muscles for 10 to 15 minutes, up to once every hour. This helps to reduce pain, spasms and swelling.
• Keep your head straight, not tilted towards the ground.
• Take a pain reliever recommended by your doctor or pharmacist.
• Walk, start with 5 to 10 minutes, 3 to 4 times per day.
• When the pain subsides, do exercises to help strengthen the muscles of your neck.

Go to the emergency department:

• Immediately if you have stiff neck, fever and headache;
• if you have a shooting pain that goes down in your arms or if you have any tingling in his hands;
• if your arms or legs become weaker;
• If you receive a blow on the head or neck (whiplash) and it causes further pain;
• if you can no longer endure the pain;
• when the pain for over 2 weeks, even after trying the stuff mentioned above;
• if you fall more than 3 meters.