Nearly 30% of Americans suffer neck pain at some point in their lives and this number is growing each year with the use of technology. It’s only 15 years ago that the first smart phones were launched and since then most of us spend a significant amount of time looking down at them. This unnatural neck position, when repeated over a period of years, is creating a global neck pain pandemic, and most certainly will get worse in the years to come as the younger generation age and realize that their spines are not invincible. The older generations are already seeing the effects of a few years of phone use given our necks are already less mobile through age.
The Back Bureau is dedicated to creating products to help cure spinal issues without the use of medication
What is happening to our necks?
Neck pain can be caused by injuries and these cases need to be evaluated by a medical professional, however the key reason for the growth in neck issues globally is due to technology. Our heads are quite heavy, typically weighing around 12lb, so when we have our heads forward, due to the physical laws of leverage, the amount of strain on our necks grows exponentially. In order to protect us from serious damage, our bodies adapt to this new reality by doing 2 things – 1) the muscles around our neck become extremely tight & 2) The natural position of our spine changes creating a “forward head” posture. This is what is creating our pain, stiffness and general lack of mobility. See diagram below.
How to check if you have forward head
To check if your neck pain may be coming from an incorrect neck position simply stand against a wall – your heels, hips & shoulders should be touching the wall- leave your head in its natural position, do not force it back. If you have a healthy neck position, the back of your head should be naturally touching the wall. If you have a “forward head” your head may be an inch or more from the wall (you can check your baseline right now, it will take only 20 seconds).
How to eliminate the pain?
In order to eliminate pain we need to get our necks back into their original position. Depending on how many years of poor posture created the issue in the first place this can take a while, sometimes up to a few months. The good news is that our bodies are wonderful at adapting and with daily effort, it’s possible to regain our natural position.
Focus on posture first
The first and most obvious thing to focus on is posture. Pay attention to how you hold your head throughout the day, especially when staring at your computer screen or looking at your phone. Get friends and family to remind you as it’s quite easy to slip into the old patterns. In general we have better posture when we are moving vs when we are still so taking long walks is a great way to help with pain.
Diet & toxins
What we put in our bodies matters. Alcohol, smoking, and processed foods can all have an effect. Smoking can cause disc degeneration. A poor diet & alcohol can create issues with the gallbladder which is linked to the neck via the vagus nerve. Try to limit known toxins as much as possible. Chewing gum can also lead to tight neck muscles. Try eating more natural foods and limit your meals to 2 per day.
Stress
Stress is a key element which can cause our muscles to become tight. This article is too short to cover stress completely however the few things we recommend are 1) meditation 2) exercise & 3) stop coffee and other stimulants. The coffee bean, for example, contains a small poison which helps protect the plant from insects. When humans consume coffee the amount of poison is too small to kill us however it stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, the stress hormone. It’s this stress hormone that provides mental clarity as our body’s natural defense system speeds up our brains to help us find the threat. This is the same mechanism that speeds up our brains when faced with an external threat, such as meeting a snake or tiger in the wild. Try cutting out coffee for 1 month to see the impact.
Stretching
Stretching is one of the most important ways to relieve neck pain. Often the discs can become closer together through poor posture and gravity so stretching is one of the best ways to create space and relieve pain. There are several ways to stretch the neck and you can find these on most yoga videos however stretching the neck upwards is one of the most important. This is difficult to do by yourself so lying down and asking your partner to stretch your neck gently for a few mins can have a great effect.
Chiropractic Neck Pillow
Using a chiropractic neck pillow from The Back Bureau is one of the best ways to reverse the effects of poor posture and forward head. The reason it is so effective is that it provides an upward stretch for the neck, separating the spinal discs while at the same time relaxing the neck muscles by stimulating the vagus nerve. Regular use will help your neck regain its original position.
Medical Professionals
Using an Osteopathic or Chiropractic doctor. We do recommend that you try out these doctors as they can really help in the short term. Each works in their own way so it’s best to shop around until you find the best ones. They are especially helpful in creating extra mobility, however it’s worth to note that they will not be able to cure your poor posture or neck position as this requires daily work on your part.
