Neck pain rarely starts overnight. It is triggered by a specific event such as sports injury, motor vehicle accident or wrong posture while sleeping or sitting. Awkward resting position, sleeping on hard pillows and reaching or pulling movements which are sudden in nature can also cause neck discomfort and culminate into a pain in a few hours or days.
Mostly, people are not aware of what has caused the pain. They claim it to happen “out of the blue” which is not the case. Several factors lead to neck pain like poor posture, declining muscle strength, stress, arthritis, degenerative disk diseases and even lack of sleep. One must not take the issue lightly.
‘Neck is not a cradle’ - Dr K.J. Reddy, Apollo Hospitals
The neck is made of vertebrates that extend from skull to the upper torso. These discs of the cervical spine absorb shock between the bones. Whenever there are any abnormalities, inflammation or injury, there is stiffness in the neck, resulting in pain. These days, neck pain is often due to improper postures while handling phones or working on PCs.
More than 75 per cent adults suffer from neck pain caused due to poor posture. A large number of people also experience neck pain along with lower back pain which has been dubbed as the “iposture phenomenon”.
The major problem seen in the digital era is using the neck as a “cradle” for mobile phones. Dr K.J. Reddy, chief joint replacement and arthroscopic surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, says, “Tilting the neck on one side to hold the receiver in place is not the job of the neck. The function of the neck is to be upright and it’s not a cradle to hold something against the shoulder.
We find several instances where people are talking in this position and typing, moving or trying to find papers or driving or dealing with kids in the back seat by juggling the phone around the neck. This improper subjugation of the neck is unnatural and causes strain on the neck muscles, shoulders and also upper back.”
Repetitive stress over a period of time manifests into headaches, neck pain, shoulder and arm pain and also leads to breathing problems.
‘Forward head posture strains the neck’ - Dr Krishna K. Eachempati, Sunshine Hospital
The most common condition that contributes to neck pain is forward head and shoulder posture. Forward head posture is when the neck slants forward, placing the head in front of the shoulders. This head position leads to several problems like forward pull of the weight of the head and undue stress on the lower vertebrates. Similarly, this posture causes the muscles of the upper back to overwork. The position is often accompanied by forward shoulders and a rounded upper back and neck, contributing to degenerative disc disease.
Dr Krishna K. Eachempati, co-director of orthopaedics and specialist in primary and revision of hip and knee replacement, Sunshine Hospital, says, “Those who sit before computers spend more time in the forward head posture and are more likely to develop decline in muscle strength leading to neck and shoulder problems. The pain often reverberates between neck, shoulders and spine, hence the patient often complains of pain in the whole area.”
What causes neck pain:
- Poor posture.
- Working at a desk for too long without changing position.
- Sleeping with your neck in a bad position.
- Jerking the neck during exercise.
Recovery takes time
- If you suspect an injury, stop that particular activity immediately. Apply ice on the injury for 20 minutes and repeat every 2-3 hours.
- If there is no relief in 48 to 72 hours, see a doctor.
- Avoid stretching or overexerting.
- Be patient. Pain and soreness will take time to recover.
- Neck pains progress or relapse, hence any exercise taken up must be done with caution.
Tips:
- Stretch as often as you can during the day. If your job entails working on the phone or PC for long hours then simple hands and leg stretches will help.
- Opt for hands-free phone or a headset.
- While texting, ensure that your posture is upright with the phone held or positioned higher and closer to the eye level.
- Do not bend your neck or look down while texting.
- Do neck strengthening exercises to improve your posture.
