Do you have neck pain? Did you just have a cervical fusion? Did you know that neck pain is a very common medical complaint? The increase in the use of gadgets is one of the reasons for this. However, there are many other factors to having chronic neck pain after cervical fusion as well. In fact, neck pain can be fixed with a few changes in lifestyle. But, sometimes the neck pain can be a sign of some serious illness. Read this article to learn more about chronic neck pain and chronic neck pain relief.

  The most common cause of neck pain is tension in muscle and nerve compression. It can be difficult to rule out what exactly is causing the pain. Most of the time, muscle strain can come from activities where one would strain on one side of their body such as carrying a very heavy bag, repetitive lifting of heavy things and sleeping in a strange position or even using pillows that are too high or low for you.

Another cause can be nerve compression. This happens when one or more nerves gets pressed around as it moves towards your upper spine. When the nerves leave the cervical spine, they move from our shoulders and down into our hands and arms. If the disc in your spine goes out of place, the tissue in your neck may get inflamed or swollen. The nerves in that area get squeezed. Hence, it can develop into chronic neck pain and other symptoms in your neck anywhere near the spine and neck.

Surely, it can be confusing how you have this neck pain in the first place. You may not know how it all happened in the first place. But, now you know what are the possible reasons for nerve compression. It could be straining one side of the body, sleeping in a strange position, repetitive lifting of a heavy object. Even sitting on a chair that does not have proper back support causes strain for your back and neck.

In fact, pinched nerves are also commonly seen with slip and fall accidents, car accidents and accidents caused by playing a sport. Hence, there are many reasons for chronic neck pain after cervical fusion. Continue reading this article to know more about chronic neck pain relief and tips to reduce your chronic neck pain.

Before,get into the tips and tricks to reduce the pain. Let us look into the consequences of delaying your treatment for the neck pain

Chapter 3:

Tips to Reduce Your Chronic Neck Pain

Many people, do not get relief from medications, ice or heating bags. If you are someone like that perhaps you might benefit from these tips. Some people benefit from combining different treatments for neck pain. Go ahead and do some trial and error to ease yourself from chronic neck pain. Here are some very less known facts that you might want to try out.

Get Yourself a Neck Freindly Chair

Have you ever thought of changing your chair? When you hunch over to the table or sit on an armless chair, it can cause neck pain. You may not even realise it but, you are putting a lot of strain on your neck and back. Look out for chairs with backrests, where you can keep your neck in a neutral position. In fact, make sure the chairs in your office or the chair that you sit mostly is comfortable for your neck and back. Also, if you are working on your laptop, try to level your eyes to the right position which is not too above or below.

Try Using a Water Pillow For Chronic Neck Pain

One spends approximately 7 to 8 hours sleeping. You imagine how important it is to have a great pillow to sleep in. It is true, we forget to pay attention to such little details in our lives. Have you considered maybe using a water pillow? Yes, you heard that right, these pillows are great for your neck and back. You can adjust the firmness of the pillow by increasing or reducing the water. Hence, you can adjust it the way you like it. The way that is perfect for your neck to get chronic neck pain relief.

Meet Physical Therapist

This is definitely something you should consider. Physical therapy can really help with your chronic neck pain. It will improve your posture and reduce stiffness. Also, improves the strength in the weak areas of your neck and pain. You should consider meeting a doctor for chronic neck pain relief and see if you can benefit from some physical therapy. Some studies suggest that physical therapy along with aerobic exercises is a good treatment for neck pain.

Try Using a Gua Sha

Gua Sha can be miraculous for your neck pain. It is an ancient Chinese healing practice. Using a Gua Sha improves blood circulation and releases the energy that is stagnant in the body. However, there are not many studies that support that Gua Sha is helpful for chronic neck pain. But, some people have found Gua Sha very helpful for their chronic neck pain. There are plenty of websites online that sell these Gua she’s. Try checking them out, maybe it might help with your chronic neck pain.

Mindful Meditation for Chronic Neck Pain

Did you ever think meditation may help with your neck pain? When you find a quiet place to focus on your mind, it can ease your stress. There are many ways to do mindful meditation. For example, controlled breathing exercises, guided imagery can help you. When using guided imagery, you can envision the pain moving from your neck to your arm and finally floating in the air around you. There are many videos online that have guided imagery tutorials.

CBT May Help You

CBT can really help with your chronic neck pain. In this therapy, you will learn how to think about more adaptable ways to think about challenges. Also, with new strategies, you will be able to focus more on the positives when faced with a challenge. Studies have shown that a combination of CBT, medication and physical therapy can give you chronic neck pain relief.

Use Your Gadgets Carefully

Now, this may be a little tricky because in the present times it gets hard to stay away from your phones and laptops. Sometimes, when you lay down on your bed and use your phone, there are times when you keep your head and neck in a weird position. There are a few tips that you can follow to reduce neck pain while using gadgets-

• When you are browsing your phone, try to keep your phone at a lower angle, so that you are not straining your neck too much.
• Try to take a few breaks to strecht your neck and back
• Try to not use your gadgets before sleeping, becuase it can strain your neck and disturb your sleep

At Espychonline, we have got a self-help course on ” Coping with Chronic Pain” to get insight and learn how to cope with chronic pain. You may also find it interesting and useful to read up a bit more on ” Chronic Pain and Fatigue: Coping Techniques” or you could read more on ” How to Live Well with Chronic Pain” to have a better insight into chronic neck pain after cervical fusion.