Simple Facts on Neck Pain Causes and Relief

At Jenna Baker LMT, we’re proud of the massage therapy services we provide to all clients. Whether you’re a high-level athlete looking for relief from regular pain or just someone working toward a healthier life in one of a number of ways, we’re here to help.

One of the most common reasons our patients see us, whether they’re athletes or anyone else, is neck pain. Millions of Americans suffer from chronic neck pain on a daily basis, but too few realize what they’re doing that’s often contributing to this pain. Let’s look at some of the common causes of neck pain, plus some things you can do to limit and prevent it.

Causes of Neck Pain

There’s a single top cause of neck pain: Bad posture. This might mean your general posture, from the way you carry your head to the way you rest the neck when it’s not directly in use. For athletes, it also might mean varying athletic postures that are taken during competition.

Other factors in neck pain include stress and muscle tension, which are related. One often leads to the other, with stress generally showing up physically as tension in the shoulders.

Practicing Posture

One of the first things you can do, and that we can help with at Jenna Baker LMT, is work on changing your posture. It’s generally the primary source of neck pain, so why not address it? This is important whether you’re changing your posture at a desk (lift the chin and push the shoulders back) or during a major sports activity, though of course the way you get there will be very different.

Changing Sleep

Another big factor in back and neck pain is sleeping posture, for both athletes and non-athletes. If you find this pain is greatest in the mornings or just after waking up, consider checking your mattress to make sure it’s firm, for starters. If this isn’t the issue, consider sleeping with a round pillow under your knees while lying on your back – this will stop too much curving from taking place in your back.

Lifestyle Changes

As we noted above, stress and related elements like poor sleep, dehydration and unhealthy habits can contribute to neck pain. Changing certain lifestyle elements can sometimes help with many of these areas – think something simple like changing your diet or walking for 30 minutes a day. Even smaller changes can have a large effect.

For more on neck pain, or to learn about how our pain management and massage therapy services can help, contact the offices of Jenna Baker LMT today.