2 Bad Daily Habits That Can Make Your Neck Pain Worse

20 September 2018
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Even if you have never been involved in an accident, you may find that your neck always seems to be stiff and painful. If so, you may want to take a look at some of your daily habits, as there are some that can contribute to your symptoms and make your neck pain worse.

Holding Your Phone at an Angle

If you spend a lot of time on the phone at work speaking with customers or enjoy chatting with friends in the evening, you may be holding your phone at a strange angle. Even without realizing it, you may favor one side and crook your neck either to hold the phone or to lay your ear next to it.

If you are in the habit of doing this, keeping an odd angle for several hours tightens up the neck muscles. If you do this day after day, your spine can become misaligned, causing chronic pain and pressure.

Whenever you are talking on the phone, start paying attention to how you are holding your head. Try to keep your head up so that your neck is not placed in an unnatural bend. Or, if possible, use a headset that eliminates the need to hold the phone to your ear.

Staring Down at Your Computer Screen

Along with keeping your neck at a strange angle while on the phone, you may also be putting your neck in an odd position while working or playing on your computer. If you find that you typically stare down at your computer screen, this angle can cause pressure to the base of the spine in your neck, as well as tense up the muscle at the base of your skull.

To remedy this habit, make sure your computer screen is at eye level so you can keep your head straight. You can either get an adjustable chair that allows you to set the height to the right angle, or you can raise up your screen on a platform. If you don't have a platform, place several large books under the screen until it is at a comfortable height.

Changing the above bad habits can help keep your neck in alignment and alleviate some of the pain. However, if your spine is misaligned from years of having these habits, make an appointment with chiropractic services to see about having adjustments made that can help bring your neck back into alignment and relieve the pain in your neck.