Lower neck pain can make life difficult for you in more ways than one. When it’s at its worst, it can leave you debilitated – unable to turn your head or even sleep. Even when it is a minor irritant, causing you to develop a mild headache or feel muscular aches on your upper back and shoulder – it isn’t pleasant. Knowing how to manage neck strain and stiff neck can help give you the pain relief you’ve been seeking.
You Don’t Have To Live With The Pain!
After a few days or weeks of lower neck pain, you might resign yourself to living with the constant ache at the back of your neck. But you don’t have to! There are ways to overcome lower neck pain or stiff neck and that’s what you should aim for.
Here are some tips to manage neck pain better, ease the inflammation, and make yourself more comfortable.
Improve Your Posture
Lower neck pain can be caused by poor posture. Ensure your head is centered over the spine. Your shoulders should line up directly above your hips so that your ears are exactly over your shoulders. This holds good whether you’re standing or sitting.
Roll your shoulders back slowly and ensure your neck is pulled back gently, not jutting forward.
Stop Making It Worse
Check yourself if you find yourself doing any of these things, fix where and how you’re sitting:
- Sitting for lengths of time at the desk in a chair that isn’t right
- Positioning your keyboard too close/far or leaning sideways to type
- Slouching or hunching when you’re watching TV, reading, using a gadget or playing with the kids
Here are some tweaks that can help:
- Ensure your computer monitor lines up at eye level by adjusting your chair or table height.
- Get up and walk around. Frequent breaks help.
- Avoid sticking your phone between your shoulder and ear while using it – a hands-free headset or speakerphone is a better option for your neck.
- If you need to carry heavy weights, use a backpack that distributes weight evenly on your back and shoulders rather than a handbag/bag with shoulder straps.
Ice It! (Then Switch To Warm Compresses)
If you’ve only just started feeling the pain as a result of a neck strain, apply an ice pack wherever you’re feeling sore on your lower neck. Do this for 15-20 minutes at various times during the day. It can help ease the pain and inflammation and reduce neck stiffness. Remember this only holds good if it is the first 2-3 days after you strained your neck. Any pain that lingers beyond that needs to be tended to with a hot compress/heating pad. A warm shower may also help.
Sleep Right
How you sleep is as important as what you do during the day when it comes to easing lower neck pain. After all, you’re probably spending 7-8 hours in bed (at the very least), reading a book/using your phone and sleeping.
Some tips that can help you sleep better for a stiff neck/lower neck pain:
- Switch your pillow if you wake up every morning with a stiff neck. Something that has neck support or is flat/not too high is better.
- Sleep on your back if you can – or on your side. Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
- Ensure your head is at the same level as the rest of your body.
- Use a firm mattress.
Use A Pain Relief Cream/Gel
Whether you’re experiencing lower neck pain or neck strain, topical pain relief like Omnigel can transform your day-to-day existence by ridding you of the constant ache in the neck.
India’s #1 Pain Recovery Gel, Omnigel is a fast-acting pain relief gel that can give you respite from neck strain and neck sprains. Just gently massage it onto the affected area of the lower neck and let it do its job. You can use it 3-4 times a day (the value-for-money Omnigel price makes it the perfect topical solution for your pains!) and take it where you go, for a discreet solution to your lower neck pain.
Learn more about Omnigel topical gel and spray and stop living with that constant pain in your neck!
