Neck Pain Q&A

Neck Pain | Neck Pain Do's & Don'ts | Neck Pain Q&A | Headaches & Neck Pain

Q.  Do you have any quick tips for preventing neck pain while sitting at a desk?

A.  Whenever possible, position yourself so that you are looking straight ahead and so your body is in a fairly straight line with your work.

Avoid leaning and reaching at extreme angles. Take time to organize your work area so that objects you use most are within easy reach. It is usually smarter to get up from your chair rather than reach across a long distance on a repetitive basis.

When using a computer, try to place the monitor directly in front of you. Your eyes should be level with the screen. Looking too far up or down for extended periods can cause problems ranging from muscular tension and spasm to headaches, neck and shoulder pain.

One of the worst things that you can do to your neck is to hold the telephone on your upraised shoulder while you use the computer, type, or write. Phone accessories that raise the telephone to your ear help, but the muscles are still tensed and the neck is bent at an unnatural angle. Speakerphones are a much less dangerous option. Telephone headsets are ideal for someone who uses the phone regularly, and can literally save you a great deal of headache.

Purchasing an anti-glare filter is usually a good idea, even if your computer has one built in. Eyestrain from even a small amount of glare can lead to headaches and neck and shoulder tension.

In addition, I highly recommend using a good lumbar support cushion, such as the Pure Life Pillow when sitting in a chair to help support the lumbar curve, indirectly helping to align the cervical curve.  Some people use two PL Pillows, one as a low back cushion, and one as a neck support pillow with a high back chair.

Q.  Is there anything I can do to prevent stiff necks? 

A.  Don’t sit directly under air conditioning vents for extended periods when you are experiencing pain in your neck and shoulders. (Excessive cold air blowing directly on your muscles increases possibility of spasms and stiff necks.) Keep your neck and shoulders warm when traveling on an airplane. You might want to  travel with a scarf for this purpose. Your Pure Life Pillow is small and lightweight enough to take with you when you travel and can literally save you from a "pain in the neck".

Also, avoid sleeping on your stomach.  There is no way to sleep on your stomach without putting some torque or twisting in your spine, especially in the neck region. This can be harmful to the spinal column because it puts pressure on the delicate spinal nerves over an extended period of time, and may result in stiffness, neck pain, and headaches. 

The ideal position for sleeping is on your back, with a pillow (preferably your Pure Life Pillow)  under your neck to support the cervical curve. If you sleep on your side, try to switch sides frequently and position your pillow so that your head and neck are level with the bed and not tilted at an angle. Since there is less stress on the lower back when your legs are bent, try sleeping with your pillow under your knees if you are sleeping on your back, or between your knees if you sleep on your side.  

Q.  Dr. Suzy,  do you have any good tips for relieving neck and shoulder pain naturally?

A.  There are a multitude of reasons why millions of people suffer from muscle spasms, tension, and pain in the neck area, sometimes on a daily basis. To find the cause of the problem, it is often necessary to seek help from a Doctor of Chiropractic or other qualified Health Care Provider.  Fortunately, there are a number of things that you can do on your own at home or at work to help relieve and possibly eliminate muscle spasms and tension that lead to neck pain and discomfort.

Quite often the cause of neck pain is closely related to muscle spasms and painful trigger points in the neck, upper back, and shoulder region. Seeking out alternative and holistic solutions for neck pain is often the answer for many individuals.  Some effective neck pain relief solutions include:  Massage therapy including many different types of bodywork therapy such as craniosacral work, assisted stretching, trigger point therapy tools such as the Backnobber, Biofeedback, nutritional supplements for neck pain and headaches, stress reduction techniques, proper body mechanics, quality cervical or neck pillows, proper lifting and computer usage ergonomics, and a wide variety of other natural and safe solutions.

It is important to take time to listen to your body and educate yourself so that you can prevent neck pain and stiffness and related symptoms such as headaches and tingling, pain, and numbness in the arms. When stretching the neck muscles, never use quick, jerky motions. Avoid extreme rotation, flexion, and extension of the head, which can damage the delicate cervical tissue, including nerves and discs.

Instead, slowly and gently stretch the neck side-to-side by bringing the ear toward the shoulder. This is much safer and more effective than the rapid rolling of the head in a circle. I literally cringe every time I see a boxer, football player, or other athlete quickly jerk their head from side to side or rapidly roll their head in a circle around their shoulders.

There are three natural curves in the spine that naturally increase its strength and flexibility: the cervical curve in the neck, the thoracic curve in the mid back, and the lower back or lumbar curve. Just as the curve in a bridge or other structure increases its weight bearing capacity, so too, do the curves in your spine. Loss of the cervical curve can be a result of overstretching of the ligaments, as is often seen after a serious car accident. This loss of curve can result in decreased weight bearing strength of the neck supporting the head and can cause pain and stiffness, possibly affecting vital nerve flow.

Just as there is a continuous flow between the fluids on a cellular level, there is also a certain flow, similar to electricity, within the nervous system. Whenever there is an obstruction of the nerve flow, the part of the body that is supplied by that nerve does not function at its fullest potential. One of the things that you can do to stimulate proper nerve flow is to obtain a sufficient amount of exercise. The lymphatic system and the digestive system function more efficiently with proper physical activity, and the nervous system is no exception.

Q.  What kind of pillow should I use?

A. This is an extremely important question since sleeping on a pillow that does not properly support your neck or causes it to tilt forward can gradually decrease the angle of the cervical curve and cause pain, stiffness, headaches, and misalignment of the vertebrae over time.

Loss of the cervical curve can be a result of overstretching of the ligaments, as is often seen after a serious car accident. This loss of curve can result in decreased weight bearing strength of the neck supporting the head and can cause pain and stiffness, possibly affecting vital nerve flow.

Sometimes it seems that I have been researching and searching for the perfect pillow for most of my adult life. There are a multitude of different types of cervical or neck pillows available on the market today. I personally have a stack of different pillows that I have given a chance and then thrown in the attic or given away.  Finally, I became so frustrated that I decided to design my own based on my knowledge of the spine and my experiences treating thousands of patients over the years. 

I sincerely recommend the Pure Life Pillow for a variety of reasons.  Here are just a few:

The orthopedically correct, ergonomic shape of this pillow is perfectly contoured to support your cervical and lumbar curves. The unique shape wraps perfectly around your neck and shoulders, whether you sleep on your side or on your back. 

It truly is the most versatile pillow I've ever used. When used with the tips pointing up, your pillow provides a gentle traction to the neck or back and can relieve pressure on joints and prevent headaches, neck pain, and backaches.  When used with the tips pointing down, the pillow provides unparalleled support to the natural lordotic and kyphotic curves and contours of your spine. The Pure Life Pillow provides neck support while you are sitting on the couch or your favorite chair, whether you are simply relaxing, reading or watching television.  It can be used in your office chair as a lumbar cushion or used between your legs when lying down to relieve pressure of the lower back.  This pillow doesn't just work in theory, it works in real life.

The Pure Life Pillow is made with an innovative hypoallergenic filling that retains its shape because it is manufactured in tiny clusters that don't bunch up like traditional fiberfill.  The modern, down alternative fill and soft, yet durable cover material make it possible to machine wash and dry your pillow as often as you want.  Simply throwing it in the dryer for a few minutes will plump it up nicely at any time.  We searched long and hard to find this awesome fill and were thrilled when we finally found it. 

In the interest of fairness, here is some feedback about other types of pillows that I have collected over the years. 

As is often the case, the most expensive, frequently advertised pillows aren’t always the best ones. There are quite a few orthopedic pillows available today that look great in theory but don't perform so well in real life.  Don't be fooled by aggressive commercials from marketing specialists.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Some people swear by Tempurpedic or memory foam type pillows that are made of a foam type material that bounces back after applied pressure is removed. I know a few people who are extremely particular about pillows who say that they can’t sleep on anything but this type of pillow.

A handful of people that I know prefer buckwheat filled pillows, but the noise they make as you are sleeping can be annoying and the shape isn't always ideal for neck support.

Others prefer air or water filled pillows. The concept behind water based pillows is great, but many people find them too heavy or awkward to use. I don't know anyone who actually sleeps on an air pillow, but they are convenient for travel.

Also, a few people have told me that they like feather pillows  because they are soft and conform to the contours of your neck more easily than a foam pillow. The problem with feather pillows, however, is that, often, they are simply too flat and the traditional rectangular shape doesn't support the curves of the neck and back.

U shaped travel pillows are helpful when traveling but aren't really meant to be used as sleeping pillows and don't allow proper positioning of the head and neck for long term usage.

In my opinion, the Pure Life Pillow is the world's best! 

Of course, I am just a little bit biased, but quite honestly, I won't sleep on any other type of pillow for the rest of my life!

Dr. Suzy's Pure Life Pillow

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