Neck and upper back pain can limit your movements and capabilities. If you don’t do anything about your pains, they can get worse, spread, and limit you further. This is usually because the muscles around your immediate area of pain have tensed up to protect that one spot. That expansion limits movement and can turn one clenched muscle under your shoulder blade into a painful shoulder and a tension headache.
Part 1 of 6: Back Pain and Sleep
Back Pain and Sleep
Back and muscle
pain can also interfere with your sleep. According to the National
Sleep Foundation, in your deepest stages of sleep, your muscles relax. This is also
the time when your body releases human growth hormone. When you lose sleep due
to back or neck pain, you lose this opportunity to heal.
Part 2 of 6: Causes
Causes
Causes of upper
back and neck pain include:
- improperly lifting something heavy
- practicing poor posture
- sports injury
- being overweight
- smoking
Our love of
screens is also a likely culprit in upper back and neck pain. Sitting all day
working on a computer screen, craning your neck to read the news on your phone
on the way home, and slumping on the couch to watch several hours of television
are great ways to throw your body out of alignment.
Like many health
conditions, the effects of neck and back pain can be more severe in people who
smoke or are overweight. Excess weight can add more pressure on the muscles.
Part 3 of 6: Quick Relief and Prevention
Quick Relief and Prevention
Chronic upper
back and neck pain can become a very serious problem. However, some general
soreness in your back and neck area is quite common. There are a few measures
you can take for quick relief when this discomfort arises, and some things you
can do to try to prevent it altogether.
Apply a Cold Compress
If you can, apply
a cold compress. This could mean a handful of ice in a plastic bag wrapped in a
towel, or anything cold, such as a soda can right out of the machine.
Try an Over-the-Counter Pain Reliever
If your stomach
tolerates nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory meds such as naprosyn, take them
according to package directions as soon as you can.
Part 4 of 6: Walk
Upright
Walk Upright
Walking with
healthy posture could help as well. A good way to visualize healthy posture is
to imagine you are suspended by a line connecting the middle of your chest to
the ceiling or sky.
Use a cold pack
and anti-inflammatory pain relief for the first three days after the pain
starts. After that, alternate applying heat and cold to your injury. Upper back
and neck pain usually erupt suddenly, but healing can take a long time. If you
are still in pain and your movement is limited after a month, it’s time to see
your doctor.
Part 5 of 6: Stretches
Stretches
Once you’ve
calmed the immediate pain and rested your injury for a day or so, you can begin
trying to loosen it and help heal it through stretches. Any of these stretches
will also help you prevent new pain, or prevent a reoccurrence of an old
injury.
I-Pose
Sitting in a firm
chair or exercise ball with your feet flat on the ground, allow your hands to
hang straight down from your relaxed shoulders. With your palms facing each
other, slowly lift your hands toward your knees, then all the way over your
head. Keep your elbows straight but not locked, and don’t lift your shoulders.
Hold the I-pose for three deep breaths then slowly lower your arms back to your
sides. Repeat 10 times.
W-Pose
Stand against a
wall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Begin with your arms dangling at your
sides and your shoulders relaxed. Put your arms out like Frankenstein then pull
your elbows back to the wall next to your ribcage. Next, try to bring the backs
of your hands and your wrists to the wall to the sides of your shoulders.
You’re making the shape of a W, with your torso as the center line. Hold it for
30 seconds. Do three rounds, at least once and up to three times a day.
Head Tilt
This simple
exercise is likely the hardest to perform early on in your injury. Don’t push
yourself too much — it should become easier over time.
Sitting in a firm
chair or exercise ball with your feet flat on the ground, allow your arms to
hang straight down from your relaxed shoulders. Keeping your arm at your side,
grasp the seat of your chair with your right hand, and tilt your left ear
toward your left shoulder. Extend as far as you can comfortably, and hold for
one deep breath. Repeat 10 times, then grasp with your left hand and stretch
toward the right 10 times.
Part 6 of 6: When to See a Doctor
When to See a Doctor
If your neck or
back is injured by a blow, like when you’re playing football, or in a car
accident, see a doctor immediately. You could be facing a concussion or
internal injuries. Experiencing any numbness is also a sign that you should
check in with your healthcare provider. If you try treating your pain at home
and it doesn’t resolve after two weeks, see your doctor.
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