Hello, my name is Gregory. When I was a young lad, I had to enter the health care world in an unexpected way. I developed a serious disease out of the blue that took doctors by surprise. I went through so many different testing procedures before my doctors could diagnose the rare disease. Everyone around me reeled as they tried to understand the purpose and process of the diagnostic tests. I hope to help others understand these important tests better through this website. Please come by often to learn all you need to know about medical diagnostics and working closely with health care professionals.
Talking About Diagnostic Tests For Medical Care
Tips For Managing Chronic Neck Pain
Nanja Bongers
If you are someone who deals with chronic neck pain on a daily basis, the phrase "pain in the neck" has a whole different meaning to you. Neck pain can keep you awake at night, prevent you from participating in physical activities that you love, and even make watching television uncomfortable. Whether it is caused by arthritis, a herniated disc, or long-term whiplash, here are some tips for keeping your neck pain under closer control.
Maintain good posture throughout the day.
Many people start the day with good posture—they sit up straight with their shoulders back and their head held high. But as the day goes on, they start to slouch. If you have noticed that your neck pain gets worse throughout the day, this might be why. Remind yourself to check your posture throughout the day. Put a sticky note on your computer screen. Have your phone send you reminders every hour. Or, ask a coworker to remind you to sit up every time they see you slouching.
Visit a physical therapist.
Often neck pain is made worse by weakness at a certain place in your shoulders or back. By working to strengthen the weak muscles, you can better support your head and neck, reducing pain in the process. The best way to identify the weak muscles and strengthen them is by working with a physical therapist or pain management doctor. They will typically guide you through various exercises and also give you advice for doing additional exercises at home.
Meditate.
Meditation may sound like a strange remedy for neck pain, but consider the following. When you are stressed out, there is a tendency to clench your jaw and hold your neck stiffly, which can make neck pain worse. Meditating is a good way to reduce your stress levels, which will, in turn, help ease your neck pain. There are many different ways to meditate. If you are struggling to get started, try using a meditation app, listening to some guided meditations, or even visiting a guru for some in-person guidance.
In addition to the tips above, make sure you talk to your doctor about various pain relievers. You may not need them all of the time, especially if you adhere to the tips above, but it can be helpful to have pills on hand for days when your pain really flares up. Contact a pain management service for more information.
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