Are you tired of living with neck pain? Dr. Michael Wilson at Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, CA, provides customized care for lasting relief.
6 Tips for Preventing Neck Pain
Millions of people suffer from neck pain, and most often it’s due to daily habits and obligations. The good news is that it can be prevented by addressing those factors. Below, Dr. Wilson and the team at Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, CA, share a few tips to help.
1. Keep It Upright
It can seem much more comfortable to slouch, especially when you’re curled up on the couch or after a long day of sitting at your desk. However, slouching can actually lead to a lot of discomfort, as it puts undue stress on the neck’s components. Instead, always keep your head upright.
2. Improve Your Sleep Position
How you sleep can have as significant an impact on your neck as how you sit. Sleeping on your front forces your neck to be twisted to one side or the other. Aim instead to sleep on your back or side with a pillow that provides proper neck support.
3. Hydrate Your Body
Your spinal discs can become dehydrated and deflate, leading to bulging or herniated discs. Muscles also tighten when the body doesn’t have enough water. You can prevent both issues by simply drinking enough water every day.
4. Don’t Let Stress Get the Best of You
Mental and emotional stress can cause various issues, including neck and shoulder pain. We tend to tense up when stressed, which causes tightness and discomfort. Finding ways to cope, such as yoga or a favorite hobby, can help keep stress out of your muscles.
5. Stretch and Exercise Your Neck and Shoulders
Tension tends to build up and worsen over time. However, doing just a few stretches and exercises before bed can help relieve the tension from the day to help prevent this build-up. The following are just a few examples of exercises to try.
- Chin tucks
- Shoulder rolls
- Stretch the neck to each side, holding for about 30 seconds
6. Seek Chiropractic Care
Often, people live with pain in the neck for a while before they decide to seek help. This can be unfortunate, as what begins as simple muscle tension can turn into a misalignment and herniated disc. However, visiting a chiropractor, whether you’ve just noticed the pain or have been living with it for some time, can help determine the underlying cause and correct it.
Find lasting and natural relief from neck pain by visiting Dr. Wilson at Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, CA. Call (707) 426-1111 to schedule an appointment today.