Neck pain can be simply unbearable at times. It makes it difficult to sleep, walk, sit and do just about anything comfortably. I know this because I had dealt with it for nearly two years before I found any relief. It was not until I began going to a chiropractor that I found that life did not have to be so painful. The chiropractor made regular adjustments each week and helped me learn what I could do to make myself more comfortable. I have included everything that my chiropractor taught me on my website to help others going through the same struggles as I did.
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tips for dealing with neck pain
How To Stop Killing Your Back
Vicki Jones
There are a few key ways in which we normally behave that can cause some serious issues with our back muscles and spine. These are things you probably do on a daily or weekly basis and may not even realize that you're doing so much harm to your back. When the aches and pains start, your first instinct may be to reach for a bottle of over-the-counter pain relievers, but avoiding these common habits can help prevent your back from being in such bad pain in the first place.
Going Cold Turkey All Week Long
Having hobbies that involve physical activity is great. Being active helps keep your entire body healthy, including your back. However, when you spend the entire week doing next to nothing and then decide that your entire weekend is going to be spent on a tennis court, hiking in the mountains, or playing basketball, you're setting yourself up for back pain.
If you want to do these more physical hobbies, you should try doing them at some point throughout the week as well. If that's not feasible, at least try to train your body with aerobics at some point during the week. For instance, if you like hiking, try using a stepper, treadmill, or elliptical while watching television instead of just sitting on the couch a couple of days during the week. Then, when you go hiking, your body doesn't have to make a huge shift in activity intensity.
When your body goes from being relatively sedentary to suddenly having to perform almost like a well-trained, professional athlete, this can be a shock to your system. This shock can make it easier to strain muscles or even pull them. This includes the muscles of your back.
Not Enough Motion
Alongside resting and then exploding with activity is the idea that your body is sedentary for extended periods of time. In a 24-hour period, you may spend 2 hours driving to and from work, 7 to 7.5 hours sitting while working, 30 to 60 minutes sitting while eating lunch, 30 to 60 minutes sitting and eating dinner at home or at a restaurant, and about 8 hours sleeping. That means you may spend as much as 19 hours each day sitting or laying down.
Your spine is made up of discs that need to have fluid flowing in and around them to keep the spine supple and ready for movement in many different directions. When you sit for extended periods of time, the discs of your spine have more pressure on them they the would if you were standing or even asleep, but they don't have any greater flexibility because you aren't being active (for instance, rowing would be a situation that would allow you to be active though you were in a seated position).
Think of the discs as sponges that are springy and supportive as long as water is being absorbed and squeezed out of them. However, if the sponge sits still under pressure (as with a sitting position for hours on end) the sponge dries out and becomes easier to damage.
Take these behaviors into consideration as you go about you daily and weekly routines. Taking a little extra care to be more active, in healthy ways, can help your back be a strong support for you for the rest of your life! To learn more, visit Yaeger Chiropractic.
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