“Computer neck” is a common side effect of our modern sedentary lifestyle. Conditions like computer neck are frequently seen by health care practitioners. The resulting forward head position can lead to neck, head and shoulder pain. If left untreated it can further develop into strained muscles and more.

Specific exercises and therapies can help. Start by sitting in the correct position at your computer station. A health care professional can advise you on the proper posture. For example, you should be relaxed, not hunched over the keyboard. You should also get up from your chair every hour or two and move around. This will help relieve any neck and head strain.
 
Whiplash injuries resulting from car accidents are another common cause of neck pain. Whiplash can be serious and quite painful. See your health care practitioner immediately.

Sometimes people will wake up in the morning with a stiff neck for no apparent reason. The problem may be their pillow. Your pillow should be tailored to match your sleeping position. For example, if you sleep on your side you will need more support than if you sleep on your back. It’s important to maintain the natural curve of your neck while sleeping. One pillow that does this well is the Mediflow Waterbase Pillow. It consists of a super soft layer of polyester fiber fill that floats over a thin water envelope. The soft fiber layer provides the comfort that people expect from a premium quality pillow, and the thin water envelope can be tailored to give ongoing support to your head and neck throughout the night by adjusting the amount of water in it. See www.mediflow.com for more information.

A supportive pillow such as the Mediflow Waterbase Pillow can also help to maintain your natural spinal curve between adjustments from your health care provider for whiplash or computer neck injuries.

 

Our necks have the weighty responsibility to hold up our heads. The average head weighs 8 – 10 lbs. If held wrong then it goes out of alignment and that causes neck pain.

Common causes of neck injury leading to neck pain include bad posture, car accidents, especially whiplash injuries, sports accidents and sleeping without adequate neck support.

Here are suggestions for alleviating the pain:

• Avoid over the counter medication. These only disguise the pain by preventing the brain from receiving the signal that something is wrong. They’re good for short term situations but nothing more.
• If your neck pain lasts more than a few days it’s wise to seek help from a chiropractor. Chiropractors have the knowledge and skills to assess and correct neck and spine problems. They can realign the spine and muscles back into their correct positions, thus taking the strain off the neck. This relieves the pain and reduces its chance of returning.
• Examine the pillow you’re using. If you have chronic neck pain, your pillow could be part of the problem.  Your pillow should be keeping your spine in a neutral position, neither pushing your head up towards the ceiling nor dropping it down towards the bed. Your best choice is an adjustable pillow. The Mediflow Waterbase pillow is a good choice. It’s infinite

Neck pain is one of the most common symptoms reported to General Practitioners. The causes can vary from a simple muscle strain to a major spinal disorder. With the spine bearing the entire weight of the body, it experiences significant wear and tear. As a result, it’s no wonder that trauma to the neck and spine are so common.

A large majority of individuals with neck pain have simple muscle strains which can be treated through management of posture, nutrition, exercise, physiotherapy or occupational therapy. It’s rarely necessary to resort to more invasive means.

And after you’ve had your neck pain treated, a supportive pillow is helpful in maintaining proper neck position during sleep. The Mediflow Waterbase pillow is the only pillow that has been clinically shown to relieve neck pain. Simply by adjusting the amount of water in the water bladder you can tailor the support level to suit your individual requirements.