Neck Pain Treatment: Can Exercises Help with Pain Relief?

Opting for neck pain treatment on time is necessary to get rid of the discomfort, stiffness, and other symptoms that impact your well-being.

Timely neck pain treatment is necessary to manage the pain and other symptoms that come with it. After all, they can disrupt your quality of life. Moreover, prolonged neck pain can be an indication of an underlying disease. Therefore, accurate diagnosis at the right time is very important. Also, do you know that most types of neck pains can be managed by physical therapy and exercises? Yes, that’s right! There is no need to sign up for extensive treatments when you can get rid of the pain – and other symptoms – with exercises. Keep reading the blog to find out what stretches and exercises professionals suggest for effective neck pain treatment.

What is Neck Pain?

Before diving into how exercise is the ultimate neck pain treatment, let’s discuss what the pain feels like. It is a pain characterized by discomfort and sometimes stiffness in the neck region. In most cases, neck pain goes away on its own. It is quite rare that the cause of the pain is something serious. Most of the time you can get rid of the pain with just some exercises, self-care, and rest.

Did You Know?

Neck pain can last from days to years. It totally depends on the cause.

 

Common Causes of Neck Pain

Neck pain is quite common among people, especially students, gamers, and those who use computers for a prolonged period. And that’s not all! Many teens are also seen complaining about neck pain and discomfort. Why so? Why does every other person have neck pain? Well, here are some common reasons why people experience neck pain:

  • Poor Posture
  • Sleeping Position
  • Strain or Sprain
  • Whiplash
  • Pinched Nerve
  • Mental Stress

Almost 80% of people experience neck pain during their lifetime. In fact, 20% to 50% deal with it annually. – Dr. Frank Pedlow, Massachusetts General Hospital

Why is Neck Pain Treatment Necessary?

Most people ignore neck pain thinking it’s not of a big issue and will go away on its own. That’s true in many cases; neck pains are not a symptom of something serious – they indicate just your careless posture or strain. Still, timely neck pain treatment is a must. After all, it reduces your quality of life. Untreated neck pain can impact your daily activities and no one wants that, right? Therefore, you should not delay taking the necessary measures to remove the pain in your neck. Reach out to NaPier Spine – Neck Pain Specialist for expert advice and treatment.

Whether you have neck pain because of an injury, infection, or an underlying condition, your symptoms can spread and impact your quality of life. – Dr. Bryce Smith

Exercises For Effective Neck Pain Treatment

Got a pain in the neck? Do you know that you don’t need any extensive treatment? Instead, all you need a good physical therapy and some specialized exercises. Yes, you read it right: no invasive treatment or a long list of prescriptions is required in most cases of neck pains. Just a few effective exercises can work wonders in getting rid of the discomfort and pain.

Did You Know? Stretching exercises are one of the most common causes of neck pain.

 

However, make sure you can not just do any exercise on your own. In fact, you must consult a physiotherapist or a relevant healthcare professional before getting started with any exercise. After all, your spinal nerves may be involved in the pain.

Note: This content is for informational purposes only. If you need help with accurate diagnosis and treatment, it is best to consult a professional.

Here are some of the most effective exercises you can try for neck pain treatment:

Exercises to Relief Muscle Tension

Muscle tension is the most common cause of neck pain. It happens due to your ignorance of your posture. Moreover, it limits your range of motion; it hinders your neck movements. As are result, you are not able to do a lot of daily tasks. You need to live with this strain. After all, there are several exercises that relieve the strain in your neck muscles, allowing you to move again – freely. So, here are the main steps of the exercise:

  • Rotations
  • Bend Forward
  • Side Bending
  • Shoulder Rolls
  • Seated Twist

Exercises for Improving Posture

If you have a bad posture, you are likely to experience neck pain. After all, sitting or lying in an awkward position can strain the muscles and put pressure on the nerves. So, the manage the pain resulting from postural issues, here is the first step: FIX THE POSTURE! I know maintaining the right posture after weeks and months of sitting in a slouchy position is hard (been there, done that). But it is surely possible! Here are some exercises to strengthen your postural muscles for a good posture:

  • Repeated Head Lifts
  • Outward Arm Raises
  • Anterior Arm Raises
  • Overhead Press

Exercises for Neck Stiffness

Neck pain and stiffness are a buy-one-get-one-free package. Therefore, one always comes with the other. While the above exercises are perfect for relieving pain and stiffness, here is a list of specialized exercises that eliminate stiffness like magic. Moreover, these will relieve tightened neck muscles and improve the movement:

  • Flexions and Extractions
  • Neck Retractions
  • Levator Scapulae Stretch

Movement Vs. Rest – What’s Better for Neck Pain Relief?

Some say to keep moving your neck to make the pain and stiffness go away. On the other hand, some say that taking proper rest will relieve your pain. Who’s right? And what’s better: rest or movement? Well, it surely is a never-ending debate. 

“Several studies support strengthening, stretching, and general physical activity as a part of the neck treatment plan.” – Harvard Health Publishing

Furthermore, taking rest won’t do any better to your pain alone you need to pair it with proper exercises. After all, stretching exercises and physical activities act on the stiffness and improve your neck’s movement. However, you have to consult a professional to know what are the best types of exercises for you, how much exercise you have to do – and how often you should do it.

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