| Stress and poor postural habits play a big part in | | | | building awareness and noticing how your body |
| the common complaint of neck pain and stiffness. | | | | feels at the first triggers of a stressful situation. |
| Stress can be in the form of mental stress or | | | | Once you identify that stress is occurring, you |
| physical stress, causing pain in the neck and upper | | | | can choose one of your tools (such as deep |
| back. Sayings such as, "Carrying the world on | | | | breathing) to counteract the stress. You may |
| your shoulders" and "He's a pain in the neck" are | | | | notice right away how your neck feels better and |
| examples or stress-induced neck pain. Physical | | | | the "weight" has been lifted off your shoulders. |
| stress can be macro-trauma such as whiplash | | | | 2. Relax your Shoulders |
| from a car accident or micro-trauma such as the | | | | Where are your shoulders throughout the day? |
| effects of poor posture over time. Poor postural | | | | Often, people tense their shoulders up toward |
| habits during daily activities, such as sitting at | | | | their ears rather than relaxing them back and |
| work, can lead to muscular imbalances and bony | | | | down. This poor postural habit will cause your |
| structural changes that will ultimately lead to pain | | | | upper back and neck muscles to work overtime, |
| or discomfort. Here are three tips to relieve and | | | | causing muscle fatigue, tension and pain. Try this |
| further prevent non-traumatic neck pain and | | | | exercise: Place one hand on the opposite upper |
| stiffness. | | | | trapezius muscle (between your shoulder and |
| 1. Manage your Mental Stress | | | | neck). Lower you shoulder down and feel the |
| First, notice how your body feels when you begin | | | | muscle. Now, feel the muscle as you elevate your |
| to stress. Bring awareness to your body's first | | | | shoulder toward your ear. Do you feel the upper |
| signals of stress. Do you feel it first in your | | | | trapezius muscle tense up when the shoulder was |
| stomach? Does your heart pound faster? Does | | | | lifted? Begin to notice throughout the day if your |
| your mind begin thinking off-track? What | | | | shoulders are relaxed down or lifted up causing |
| specifically happens to you at the onset of | | | | tension. Practice keeping your shoulders relaxed. |
| stress? Once you can identify your initial reactions | | | | This will help minimize neck pain and stiffness. |
| to stress, then you can quickly use | | | | 3. Improve your Posture |
| stress-reduction tools to manage and reduce | | | | Ideally, your ears should be directly over your |
| stress before it escalates to unhealthy levels. Did | | | | shoulders when viewing your posture from the |
| you know...It is estimated that sixty to ninety | | | | side. This correct head alignment minimizes the |
| percent of doctor visits are stress-related. | | | | work load for your neck muscles. On average, |
| One simple tool for stress reduction is to breathe | | | | the head weighs approximately 12-20lbs. Poor |
| deeply. Approximately 40 seconds of deep | | | | postural habits often found while working at a |
| (diaphragmatic belly) breathing can physiologically | | | | computer desk can lead to postural imbalances |
| remove the effects of stress, stimulating the | | | | and forward head carriage. Forward head carriage, |
| parasympathetic nervous system and shutting | | | | where your ears line up in front of your |
| down the production of stress hormones in the | | | | shoulders, create strain on the neck muscles as |
| body. | | | | well as a slumped posture. |
| Another tool is, "don't sweat the small stuff". | | | | A tip to improve your posture is to practice |
| Think to yourself, "Will this matter 5 years from | | | | sitting and standing tall, lining your ears over your |
| now? 20 years from now? When I'm 80 years | | | | shoulders, decreasing the incidence or neck pain |
| old?" This thinking process can help put things into | | | | and stiffness by decreasing the work load on |
| perspective and lower the stress level. | | | | your muscles. |
| Another tool is to practice yoga regularly. Yoga | | | | In conclusion, relieve and prevent neck pain and |
| incorporates deep breathing and creates a | | | | stiffness by managing your mental stress, relaxing |
| mind-body connection. Stress reduction is a | | | | your shoulders and improving your posture. If pain |
| proven health benefit of practicing yoga. Exercise, | | | | persists, visit a doctor of chiropractic. |
| in general, is an excellent form of stress | | | | Chiropractors are specialists in treating many |
| management. | | | | musculoskeletal conditions. |
| In summary, manage your mental stress by first | | | | |