Seven out of 10 Americans experience neck pain at some point in their lives, most especially as the years tick by — which may explain how the expression “pain in the neck” has worked its way into our vocabulary. Stretching and strengthening exercises have long been considered a must to keep the neck strong and healthy. A recent study in Denmark demonstrated this when researchers found that women with neck pain who practiced specific strength training (SST) exercises for the neck and shoulder muscles experienced substantial pain relief.
To get more details on possible cures for neck pain, I called Gerard Varlotta, DO, clinical associate professor in rehabilitation medicine at New York University. Neck pain was common way before our modern passion for all things electronic — including telephones, BlackBerry devices and computers — but nowadays scrunching our necks to chat, hunching ourselves over a keyboard and spending long hours behind the wheel of a car are the major contributors, Dr. Varlotta told me. Neck pain is usually triggered by repetitive use or habitually holding tension in the neck and shoulders, primarily from poor posture. Whatever its cause, there are assorted treatment options to consider:
SELF-CARE FOR NECK PAIN: EXERCISE AND MORE
There are many non-invasive options to pursue before considering more drastic treatment options for neck pain. Many can even be done on your own:
- Stretching exercises. Among Dr. Varlotta’s favorite exercises are shoulder shrugs. With arms at your sides, breathe in slowly as you shrug shoulders up toward the ears, breathe out as you lower them to a relaxed position. This gentle, repetitive motion works the trapezius muscle in the back of the neck, relaxing this very common site of tension. Dr. Varlotta also recommends head tilts to relieve muscle spasms in the neck and increase range of motion. Just wrap your right arm around the left side of your head so your right hand is under your left ear. Gently stretch your head toward your right shoulder and count to 10. Repeat on the other side. Try to perform these exercises four to six times each during hourly work breaks.
- Try the specific strength training exercises that worked so well for women in the Danish study. These consist of five dumbbell exercises — the arm row, shoulder abduction, shoulder elevation, reverse flies and upright row — targeted toward strengthening the neck and shoulder muscles. Note, however, that in the study these exercises were performed under the close supervision of trainers. If you’re interested in giving specific strength training exercises a try, your best bet is to start by asking a trainer in your local gym or YMCA how to correctly perform them.
- Take breaks hourly. Long hours at the desk or computer can leave you achy and stiff. You may be loath to “waste” the time, but take several minutes once an hour to practice shrugs and head tilts, stretch the muscles and break up the tension. Also, change position frequently. These measures will pay off handsomely by preventing pain and disability over the long run.
- Stand (and sit) up straight at all times. Proper posture and alignment of the entire body is a must for ease and comfort in both the neck and back. The best advice I have seen on how to attain this comes from Jeffrey Zimmerman, OMD, founder of Optimotion and a Qigong master: While sitting, create alignment from the base of your spine to the top of your head, with shoulders slightly back and the lower back slightly curved out. For standing, adjust this slightly, now picturing a straight line through your body, into the ground beneath your feet. Place your feet shoulder distance apart, bend knees slightly and find the place where you’re neither leaning forward nor backward, but perfectly balanced, with head directly over your feet. If you are doing it correctly, you’ll feel free of tension. (Note: To learn more about the Optimotion technique, based on tension-free movement, see Daily Health News, April 24, 2008.)
- Examine your workspace. Little tweaks can be significant in reducing neck strain and pain, says Dr. Varlotta. For example, make sure the computer monitor is at eye level… sit up straight with your feet resting comfortably flat on floor… use a desk with armrests that create an angle slightly greater than 90° for your arms.
- Get a headset for your phone. Crooking the phone between your ear and shoulder in order to talk hands-free is one of the worst things you can do to your neck.
- Indulge in a self-massage. You can give yourself a pretty good self-massage by putting two tennis balls in a long tube sock. Lie on your back on the floor, rolling these under your shoulder blades and upper back to massage the shoulder blades and break up muscle spasms in the upper back, which connects to the neck muscles, suggests Dr. Varlotta.
- Relieve neck pain with heat and cold. When your neck is sore, try a hot pack to soothe the pain — or for chronic or post-traumatic symptoms, alternating hot and cold packs can provide temporary relief. These are widely available in drugstores, or you can make your own. Simply wet a clean washcloth with moderately hot or cold water and wring it out. Wrap compresses around your neck to ease pain, loosen tight muscles, and increase blood and oxygen flow. (Note: Remember, moderation in all things. Make sure you don’t go overboard either way on the temperature.) Your ND or DO can evaluate your situation and prescribe a regimen specific for your needs.
LOOK INTO NATURAL MODALITIES…
In addition, I spoke with Thomas H. Reece, DO, ND, one of only a few practitioners with dual degrees in Naturopathic and Osteopathic Medicine, now a specialist in osteopathic manipulative medicine at the Preventive Medical Center of Marin, in California, for insight into what are commonly termed “alternative” modalities. In his view, the treatment of neck pain depends on correctly identifying and addressing its cause, since there are different solutions for muscle pain versus pain from pinched nerves, disk injuries, worn disks or prior trauma.
Dr. Reece’s treatment plan, depending on the underlying cause, might include a variety of hands-on osteopathic manipulation techniques to realign the spine, relieve pain, improve range of motion and restore normal structure and function. Osteopathic manipulation addresses the fact that an underlying muscle weakness may be the real cause of the problem, using manipulative techniques to strengthen the muscles so they will correctly hold the bone in place over the long term.
Trained as an acupuncturist in China, Dr. Reece finds that acupuncture can be helpful for neck pain. He also describes himself as a “quarterback” for his patients, referring them to other experts as needed — for example, licensed physical therapists, massage therapists, yoga instructors or teachers of the Alexander Technique or Feldenkrais Method (different systems to improve body awareness and movement). In cooperation with your primary health care provider, these experts can help you learn to tone and strengthen the muscles of the neck and back that support the body.
If neck pain remains persistent, severe or if it gets worse, more extreme measures may be necessary. These can include anti-inflammatory drugs, injections of cortisone or lidocaine, or rarely surgery.
I’ve suffered from neck pain for many years, thanks to an array of sports injuries and chronic phone-cradling and I’ve learned to manage it successfully using several of these treatment modalities… thankfully never needing to resort to more extreme measures. With so many options, you’re likely to find at least one that solves your neck challenges. If the home care measures we recommend here don’t prove sufficient, see your health care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment.
