Many people have experienced neck tension or pain. But, many aren’t sure how it is caused or how to effectively treat it. However, you’ll be happy to know that it isn’t hard to find relief and manage your chronic neck pain! Here are a few likely causes for your pain, plus some easy tips to follow in order to tackle it.

Causes

Muscle Tension or Strain

Stress, bad posture, sedentary work days and bad sleeping positions are all causes of the tension in the neck muscles many people experience.

Arthritis

Pain, joint swelling, and bone spurs, which can all be caused by arthritis, can cause serious neck pain when found in that area.

Fibromyalgia

This condition has the potential to cause pain throughout the body, including the neck.

Herniated Cervical Disk

Also called a ruptured disk or slipped disk, herniated cervical disks bulge, which can cause pressure and stress to the spinal cord or nerve roots. This can cause sufferers to experience persistent neck pain.

Injury

The neck can be prone to injury in many cases, including car accidents, falls, or sports injuries. Spinal cord damage can also result if the neck is dislocated or fractured. Naturally, injury to this area can cause pain.

Tips to Feel Better

Stretch

Stretching is a great way to relieve tension in the neck muscles. In particular, you can try stretching your hamstrings and inner knees. There are tendons in out bodies that run from the toes to the neck also run through the knees and hamstrings. Therefore, stretching those muscles will, in turn, stretch neck muscles also. Yoga moves, such as forward fold and downward dog, are great stretches in order to try out this remedy.

Utilize Hot and Cold Therapy

As with most muscular pain, hot and cold therapy can tremendously lessen the pain and prevent it from reoccurring in the future. However, which one you choose can depend a lot on what kind of pain you’re experiencing. If your neck pain is caused by inflammation or injury, cold therapy (such as an icepack) might be more effective. But, if your neck pain is due to overuse or stress, hot therapy (such as a heating pad) can be useful.

Take OTC Pain Relievers

When inflammation is the culprit for your neck pain, NSAID’s (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) can bring relief. However, any over-the-counter pain reliever can help you get temporary relief from minor neck pain or discomfort. However, if you’re looking for a more long-term remedy, this tip might not be sufficient by itself.

Exercise Regularly

As with many forms of pain, getting active is a great way to relieve neck pain. Low-impact exercise, like walking or swimming, might be the most effective when you’re struggling with pain. In particular, swimming has been shown to decrease inflammation, provide short-term pain relief, and helps the swimmer to perform activities that their pain might restrict them from doing at other times.

Stop Bad Habits

Many bad habits (that most of us are guilty of having) can possibly contribute greatly to the neck pain you are experiencing. To avoid these pain-causing bad habits, maintain good posture, don’t balance your phone between your neck and should when using it, and avoid sitting or standing in one position for too long. By changing these small things in your daily routine, you could easily reduce a lot of the neck pain you are experiencing.

Consider Melatonin Sleeping Aids

Neck pain can be a major deterrent from a greatly needed good night’s sleep. However, rest is vital for your body to fully recover and heal itself. Taking a natural sleep aid, like melatonin, can help to begin that healing process.

Watch Your Magnesium Intake

Magnesium has been shown to help relax muscles, so it may help reduce and prevent neck muscle pain. Try implementing magnesium-rich foods (such as dark chocolate, dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, soybeans, avocados, and bananas) into your diet to combat neck pain. You can also look into taking a magnesium supplement for an easier way to meet the daily intake requirement.

Sources:
http://www.spine-health.com/blog/9-lesser-known-tips-easing-neck-pain
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5334/6-DIY-Tips-for-Immediate-Neck-Pain-Relief.html
http://www.healthline.com/health/neck-pain#HomeCare3
http://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/foods-high-in-magnesium/#02