Exercises for Neck Pain: Stretch the Pain Away

A pain in the neck, (and I mean a physical pain in your neck, not the person whistling loudly on the bus), can happen to anyone and may have many causes, including poor posture and muscle strain. Neck pains are mostly minor and last for short amounts of time, usually for a few months at the most. Most neck issues can be resolved by exercises that stretch and strengthen the neck and shoulder area. If the issue persists, a doctor or chiropractor should be consulted for more intense exercises or prescription drugs.

Causes and Symptoms of Neck Pain

Neck pain is usually a relatively minor injury and can be helped with simple exercises and stretches. Because the neck is connected with the back and shoulders, a strain or injury in those areas may affect the neck as well. Neck pain can be caused by several factors: worn joints caused by old age or overuse; trauma due to injuries, such as whiplash or sports injuries; poor posture; tumors; muscle strain caused by overuse or continually sitting in an awkward position.
You may not notice neck pain until you turn it a certain way and the pain can range in intensity from a dull ache to a very intense electric-shock sensation. Numbness may also occur, as well as muscle weakness. Most neck issues last for only a short time, but even more chronic problems can be solved with stretching, massages, acupuncture and a few simple exercises.

Exercises to Get Rid of Neck Pain

These neck exercises are useful for getting rid of existing neck pain as well as building strength in the neck in order to prevent potential neck issues in the future. They are also quite convenient and can be done anywhere at anytime, like the office, in the car or on an airplane. If you have a heating pad, it may prove beneficial to apply it to your neck before these exercises to warm up the muscles. After the exercises, a cold pack or bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel may be applied to reduce inflammation.

NECK STRENGTHENING EXERCISES

Chin Tuck – This postural exercise stretches and strengthens the muscles that pull the head back into alignment over the shoulders. Not only will this exercise build strength, it can be done as soon as neck pains appear to prevent from becoming worse. When you’re comfortable with this exercise, it can be performed at work or, even in a car with the help of the headrest.

1. With your spine against the wall and your feet 3 inches out from the bottom of the wall, pull the upper back and head back until the back of your head touches the wall with your chin down so that your head is pulled straight back and not looking up.
2. Hold your head against the wall for 5 seconds then release.
3. Repeat 10 times.
4. After you’re used to performing the exercise without the help of the wall, you can do it while sitting or standing, from 5 to 7 times a day.

Shoulder Blade Squeeze – The neck, shoulders and back are all connected and this exercise works your neck as well as upper back.

1. Sit up straight with your chin tucked in slightly and your shoulders pushed back just a bit.
2. Slowly squeeze your shoulder blades together as far and as hard as possible, making sure it does not cause you any pain.
3. Hold for 5 seconds, release and repeat 10 times.

WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES
These simple strength-building exercises utilize 2-5 lbs. dumbbells with knees slightly bent. Do 3 sets of 8-12 reps, 3 times a week on non-consecutive days. (Taking a day off between your workouts allows your muscles to rest and rebuild; if you exhaust the same muscle groups two days in a row, you risk injury, so plan to do these exercises on alternating, non-consecutive days.)
Shoulder Shrugs

1. Hold arms at sides, palms facing in.
2. Keeping arms straight, pull shoulders up to ears then pause for 3 seconds and lower.

Reverse Flies

1. Bend forward so your chest faces the floor with your arms hanging down and palms in.
2. Bend your elbows slightly, squeeze your shoulder blades and raise your arms side to side, parallel to the floor.
3. Pause 3 seconds then lower.

Upright Row

1. Starting with your palms in front of your thighs and facing your legs.
2. Bend your elbows out to the sides and pull the weights up to around collarbone level.
3. Pause 3 seconds then lower.

EXERCISES FOR NECK PAIN
Neck Tilt

1. Tilt your head down toward your shoulder, leading with your ear.
2. Gently tense the neck muscles and hold for 5 seconds.
3. Return your head to the center and repeat on the opposite side.
4. Tilt your head down to rest your chin on your chest.
5. Gently tense your neck muscles and hold for 5 seconds.
6. Repeat 5 times on each side.

*NOTE* You can add resistance to this exercise by putting your palm on your face and gently pushing against the direction you are tilting your neck. If it hurts, you’re pushing too hard; relax, and don’t apply enough force with your palm that you are in discomfort.
Neck Stretch

1. Keeping the rest of your body straight, push your chin forward so your throat is stretched.
2. Gently tense your neck muscles and hold for 5 seconds.
3. Return your head to the center position and push it backwards, keeping your chin up. Hold for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat 5 times.

Neck pain is a common affliction and is usually not very serious, from a medical perspective. With the help of these strengthening and pain-alleviating exercises, any neck pain should begin to go away within 2 weeks and within 4-6 weeks you should be mostly healed. Continuing these exercises for anywhere between 6-8 weeks should help prevent the symptoms from ever returning. If pain or weakness persists, or if you have any doubts that your pain is caused by anything other than simple posture habits or everyday muscle tension, contact your doctor or a chiropractor.

Source 

How Does Acupuncture Help With Aches and Discomfort?

Acupuncture constitutes one of the oldest forms of alternative medicine that is still being practiced. It is popularly attributed to Traditional Chinese Medicine of the sixteenth century.

The Primitive Take on Acupuncture
The ancient science believed most of the health issues stemmed from the imbalance of energy. The fine, stainless steel needles were used to stimulate the 14 major energy channels in the body, building immunity and resistance to illnesses while helping the patient overcome apparent problems. Acupuncture was known to be an effective remedy for different health concerns ranging from minor aches and discomfort to major health problems.

The Modern Take on Acupuncture
The conventional science today explains the same phenomenon with different words. Instead of talking about "chi" (energy), the modern science explains the process of acupuncture as a means to stimulate specific anatomic sites or nerves in the body. This process seems to have profound impact on the health and well-being of the patient.

The modern science has accepted acupuncture as an unparalleled mode of treatment. The process is extremely intricate, demanding years of learning and expertise to locate specific target points on the body. Even the slightest miscalculation can have drastic consequences. This is why it is recommended to seek reputed professionals for acupuncture treatments. The process is now covered under the medical insurance offered by most companies, which explains the modern viewpoint on acupuncture.

 

Here's how acupuncture is known to help with aches and discomforts.

Acupuncture for Aches and Discomforts
Acupuncture is known to help with aches and discomfort just the way it works for other health problems. The acupuncturist starts by analyzing the body for problem areas, identifying the root cause of the ache. S/he may use additional equipment to identify other characteristics of the body in order to devise the correct treatment.

Small, fine and sterile needles will be used to reach and stimulate the nerves under your skin. This process is usually painless or may be accompanied with minor discomfort. The needles are left for a period of 5 to 40 minutes depending on the need. This does not only help invigorate the nerve cells and muscle tissues, it also steadies the blood flow, ensuring appropriate flow of nutrients to and from all parts of the body.

 In some cases, placement of needles in one part of the body may be able to help relieve tension in another part. The treatment is known to help in managing the pain associated with arthritis, stress, inappropriate posture, fibromyalgia, dental treatment and post-surgery problems. Although the relationship between acupuncture and pain relief is unclear, it nevertheless has helped several thousands of people in achieving optimal health.

In chronic cases, acupuncture will most likely be recommended in addition to other treatments. Acupuncture is not a holistic cure for all health problems. It may, however, be able to help you keep numerous complications at bay. Acupuncture does help in relieving aches and discomfort by revitalizing internal body functions for overall betterment.

Source Dr. Manuel Compas, D. C.