Occasionally, people may wake up with neck pain from sleeping in an awkward position throughout the night. While often regarded as a common issue that is nothing more than irritating, the symptom of neck pain associated with incorrect sleeping posture can be extremely painful.

Home Remedies For Neck Pain

During deep sleep, the head can drop into a position which may place unnecessary amounts of stress on the neck muscles and other surrounding tissues of the cervical spine. After some time in an uncomfortable position, the brain is capable of sensing this disruption where it will then command your body to reposition itself in order for the neck to get some relief. Alternatively, many people can also choose to ignore the agitation, aggravating the strain on the neck further. Consequently, neck pain the following morning is the most common outcome. While there’s a variety of methods to prevent neck pain as well as a variety of treatments for individuals with other neck complications, if you’re already experiencing neck pain symptoms, there’s several simple solutions you can follow before you receive medical attention to find relief for your neck pain.

Rest Your Neck

Foremost, give your neck a rest. The head weighs approximately 20 lbs. One can consider this to be a lot of weight for the neck alone to support. Through an improper posture, especially during sleep, the muscles are forced to work extra in order to properly hold the natural posture of the neck, causing the muscles and other tissues to overly stretch, ultimately weakening. Give your muscles a break. During the spare time you have before visiting the doctor, lie down, making sure your head is in a neutral position and that you’re using a comfortable pillow. More rest can often be a good remedy even if you’ve just rolled out of bed. Also, it is best to avoid feeling stress in the meantime. Stress can cause tension to build up around the shoulders and neck area, both which are not recommended with the previous presence of neck pain. If the muscles tighten, the complex structures surrounding the cervical spine can become irritated and even inflamed, causing further symptoms of pain and discomfort.

Heat & Ice Therapy

Sometimes, heat therapy, for instance, using a warm damp towel around the affected area, can help increase circulation and is often effective in providing relief to stiff muscles. However, heat can make inflammation worse, and if your symptoms worsen, remove the heat immediately. Alternatively, ice therapy, or using an ice pack around the affected area, can help reduce the inflammation of the muscles and tissues, but for some individuals, cooling can aggravate other more serious issues, if your symptoms worsen, remove the ice immediately. These methods can be effective for relieving symptoms of neck pain but for more serious, chronic neck complications, the effects may only be temporary. If the symptoms of neck pain persist, it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention to diagnose any underlying conditions or severe injuries which could be causing the individual’s neck pain and discomfort.

The following methods are meant to serve as temporary solutions to neck pain from sleeping incorrectly. If an individual had a bad night of rest and they woke up experiencing discomfort, the above methods can be used to find some relief from their symptoms. But, if the individual experiences neck pain as a result of improper sleeping posture or from other sleep complications on a regular basis, it’s crucial for the individual so seek immediate medical attention to properly diagnose any possible injuries or underlying conditions the person might have and follow through with an appropriate treatment to help restore the individual’s natural state of being as well as improve their overall wellness to ensure them a good night’s sleep.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.elpasochiropractorblog.com

During sleep, the head can often rest in abnormal positions. While the brain usually signals the body to move and adjust itself to relieve unnecessary strain due to an improper sleeping posture, many individuals still wake up the next day with neck pain. A single case of neck pain can be relieved with several simple solutions, but if the symptoms persist, its essential for the individual to then seek professional medical attention. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

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