There are many reasons for neck stiffness, such as muscle strain, cervical disc herniation, or infection. Although it is not very serious in most cases, the faint pain still makes people fidget.
People with these troubles should act as soon as possible, don’t wait for it to deteriorate, and follow these seven suggestions to relieve or prevent this symptom to a certain extent.
STEP 1 Don’t carry too much
Students sometimes need to carry heavy textbooks to class, which is very harmful to neck health.
Therefore, this suggestion is mainly aimed at students and other people who need backpacks to carry heavy loads. It is suggested to reduce the weight of backpacks as much as possible.
Step 2: Don’t carry a shoulder bag
Long-term use of the same shoulder backpack will make the trapezius muscle bear greater pulling force, and what’s more, it can lead to scoliosis of the spine.
Therefore, try to use or not use one shoulder bag as little as possible. If you can’t do this, remember to rotate your back with two shoulders instead of always using one side to ensure that the shoulders on both sides bear the weight evenly.
3. Don’t support yourself with your shoulders when answering the phone.
Many people will tilt their heads and support them with their shoulders to make phone calls. This habitual action is also the main culprit for uneven muscle tension on both sides of the shoulder and neck, which will worsen neck stiffness.
Step 4 Don’t accumulate stress
Human instinct makes us either escape from a certain threat at a distance or rise up against it and destroy it until we feel safe again.
The reaction of such people to certain stimuli [resistance or escape] is usually the source of pressure.
However, in real social life, we cannot always show our instinctive reaction, so this kind of depression will make the pressure accumulate continuously and the muscles continue to be tense, which may lead to chronic muscle strain and the neck cannot move flexibly.
5. Don’t neglect relaxation
Office workers sit and work all day, but don’t underestimate the effect of stretching the neck and upper body during rest time.
Because keeping the same posture for a long time is one of the causes of muscle and bone pain, doing a few simple relaxation actions can temporarily relax rigid muscles and prevent neck stiffness.
In addition, it is suggested to change the posture every 20 minutes when sitting motionless for a long time, which can also play a certain role in relieving.
6. Don’t ignore the correct posture
Due to the action of gravity, the spine is always in a state of stress when standing or sitting. Unconsciously, your posture will gradually relax and you will feel [paralyzed].
As the posture becomes more and more relaxed, the body’s support for the head becomes less and less. At this time, the weight of the head will all impact the cervical spine.
To improve this situation, you can try a specific exercise for [neck support posture]. For specific exercise methods, you can consult a doctor or rehabilitation training professional.
7. Don’t [avoid medical treatment]
If your neck stiffness is accompanied by fever, see a doctor in time. Because both symptoms may be caused by infection, when they occur at the same time, they may be a sign of meningitis. If meningitis is not treated in time, it can cause serious consequences such as hearing loss and even death.
In addition, when symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, night sweat and insomnia occur together, you should also see a doctor in time.
To sum up, neck stiffness is not very serious in most cases, but when the pain continues and cannot be relieved, it is better to check it.
Doctors can help you eliminate some serious potential health threats, so you can find and treat them early.
Responsible Editor: BruceLi