Pregnancy affects the posture of women not only due to the size and weight of the baby but also due to the pregnancy. This is why a lot of the time women develop a bad posture that can hurt their back during pregnancy and even after pregnancy. Therefore, it is very important that women take care of their back position as they start to gain weight due to being pregnant.
There are a few ways you can correct the posture during pregnancy and they all have to do with the habits you adopt during the 9 months. The best way to fix bad posture is to prevent it in the first place, what is meant by this is to work out regularly before you start to develop your baby. However, you should be careful when it comes to types of training. Anything too intense can do more harm than good, but the important thing to remember is to stay active. Practice good posture cues and make it a habit to always keep your posture perfect.
It might actually be harder to have good posture when you’re already 7 months in because it’ll be hard to make significant changes. Moreover, the abdominal muscles can develop other issues such as weakness due to overstretching because of the forward weight, not to mention, the lower back joints can also suffer due to the long term stress. However, you should always try to practice these cues:
There are a lot of things that might affect the pregnancy posture and most of them are quite difficult, pregnancy, after all, is a demanding task where not only do you need to be worried about the health of your baby but also your own health in the long term. Generally speaking, the bad posture habits that are developed during pregnancy are usually due to early bad habits often caused by pain. Therefore, make sure that you enforce any kind of good habits such as keeping your shoulders back and straight.
Pregnancy is definitely a physically and mentally demanding time. Bad posture can develop from bad habits in the long run. However, there are a lot of good habits that need to be practiced such as sitting correctly, sleeping in the right position, and being generally mindful. Activity is good for this time, but it should not affect your health.
]]>It’s very easy to fall into the idea that you need to call the ER because you have low back pain especially when you experience it for the first time. However, chances are you don’t need to go to the ER yet unless you experience these symptoms:
There are two types of back pain. The first is that your back pain is local and it has to do with some kind of injury to the vertebrae structure. This usually happens either when doing something wrong to your back or through trauma. People who are active and workout a lot can experience back pain more than others because of the stress in that area.
The second type of back pain is one that is followed by other unusual symptoms like irregularities with your bowel movement, loss of appetite, lack of sleep, and other symptoms that need to be discussed with your doctor. This indicates that the back pain is more than just a local injury to the back, it can mean that the back injury is too dangerous or that the back pain isn’t really because of the back but because of other symptoms. Either way, they call for an emergency.
The first thing you need to do is to understand the injury, if you exercise very intensely then you might have just injured your back due to squats, deadlifts, back movements, or anything that causes your back to be in a compromised position. So the first thing is to figure out whether or not this back pain is that serious. You can do this by moving around or trying to hang from a pull-up bar to see if the pain is in the lower back.
The next thing to do is take some anti-inflammation medication and get a lot of rest. However, rest can actually cause more harm than good if you do not give your back the chance to move around. Getting some blood circulation to the back is extremely important, so make sure that you move around as much as you can and get back to your daily activities as soon as possible.
If the back pain is not getting better or is followed by other symptoms that are unexplainable, then you need to seek medical attention. Some back pain issues are usually not issues with the lower back itself, but they’re symptomatic with other health problems. Therefore, unless your back pain is a local injury, then you don’t need to seek the ER.
]]>
Back pain is just as common with children as it is with every other demographic. The reason for that is because while the young have a healthy strong back, they tend to do things that compromise their lower back move such as being rambunctious and playful. The older generations suffer back pain too but it is because of other issues such as bone problems, disc issues, and nerve damage that might happen with age.
Back pain with adolescents is usually because of their activity. Most back pain at that age is due to being very active with other children and being more likely to engage in activity that puts their back at risk.
The first step is to try and diagnose back pain. If the back pain is due to playful activity, there’s probably nothing to worry about as the back problems often fix themselves when they’re young. However, if the back pain is accompanied by other symptoms, then they probably need to be looked at by a professional. If the child or adolescent is experiencing these issues, then a visit to the doctor is due:
If the back pain is due to being active, then it’s not a big deal. Children are known to have a fast recovery rate. However, you might want to use anti-inflammation medications that will help speed up the process of recovery as well as numb down some of the pain. In addition to that, you might also want to use some massages or a small introduction to the activity after a few days. Back pain is not an excuse to stay at home and avoid being active. In fact, being active is going to help speed up the recovery thanks to the blood flow. If blood flow is in the area, then more oxygen and nutrient will flow to that area helping its recovery.
Back pain in children and adolescents is pretty common because they’re so active. However, they have a better and faster rate of recovery which means the most back is going to be safe. The best thing to do in this case is to rest for a few days following the injury and try to get as much activity as possible. More blood flow to the area is going to help with recovering any tissue that might have been damaged. However, if the back pain is accompanied by any unusual symptoms, then you might want to visit the ER.
]]>One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to their posture is that they start to gaze down everything from above. Why is that an issue? Well, one thing you need to know is that your body will follow where your eyes go. If you stare down, your head will protrude and curve, your shoulders will hunch forward and your chest will cave down. On the other hand, looking at things in a level field that is on the level of your eyes and chest will help your posture get better. This is why you need to place your work station at around sternum level or higher so that your head will be at a neutral angle. Your shoulders will also feel better since they don’t have to be in a compromised position, and your chest will stay fixed.
The solution: Your work station needs to be at around sternum level. Meaning your eyes should not have to look down and instead look straight into the screen. You might have to either adjust your monitor, the desk, or the chair to maintain a healthy back position for your posture.
It might seem like a great idea especially in cold weather, but working on your couch or bed will only make your posture worse. The problem with this is that your hips will also want to flatten with the bed no matter how much you try to stay upright. It’s your body’s natural tendency because that’s how gravity works. If you work with your legs completely flat with the laptop on your legs, then you’ll find that you’ll often have to curve your spine. Not only that, head movement will likely suffer because no matter how hard you try, your body will always try to flatten out in a sleeping position.
The solution: Try to work on a desk while sitting in an ergonomic chair that suits your back. You should also be intermittently sitting, meaning you should take breaks from sitting by walking around, standing up, or just being active.
Since people know that hunching forward developing that ‘text-neck’ is not a great idea for back or neck health, they overcompensate by doing the opposite which is hyperextension. This is when the back is over curved inward and the butt is sticking out. This position is equally bad for your back because it creates a pressure point in the middle of your vertebrae particularly L4 and L5. Not to mention, it stiffens up and hip joint and can even be responsible for IT band weakness which might contribute to knee pain. All of these issues will ruin your posture and it should be avoided.
The solution: Maintain a neutral position in your back. The spine and vertebrates naturally have a curve, so it’s important not to over exaggerate it.
We have all experienced the feeling of stiffness in the morning and it’s all due to tightness in the muscles while sleeping. However, as the day passes, we start to feel more mobile and agile. However, if you don’t do anything about it, you might start to experience more issues than you think. This is why it’s important to stretch and help the body loosen up when you wake up.
It’s very common to have tension build up in the body especially around the neck, back, hip, and shoulder. Because most people work jobs that don’t allow them to move around as much, the tension in the muscles begins to worsen until you have a problem that needs to be addressed.
Stretching releases that tension because it allows the muscles to get back into their normal range or contraction. Every muscle in our body can either contract or stretch, but if we overuse some muscles such as the ones in the back and the neck, those muscles tend to over contract for long periods of time which causes some parts of the back and neck to be in less than optimal places. For instance, a hunched back, tucked chin, or forward shoulders are all symptoms of a larger problem that is muscle tension.
Herniated discs might be a problem caused by a pulled muscle, obesity, or strain, but it is also caused by long term tension in the muscles, ligaments, and overall structure of the back. Therefore, releasing tension through stretching is the most optimal way to reduce the pains aches.
There are generally two types of stretches, dynamic stretches, and static stretches. The dynamic stretch is where the body works hard by contracting muscles to reach a full range of motion such as a deep squat. Not only does the deep squat stretch the muscles in the lower body, but it also works the internal balancing of muscles. Static stretching is when you’re stretching a particular body part without contracting other muscles such as the butterfly stretch which works on the inner thighs.
It’s important to diversify the timing of your stretching as well as the type of stretches you do. For instance, it’s recommended to do some dynamic stretches upon waking up in order to improve circulation and get the body going.
Before working out is also a good time to do dynamic stretching, but it’s better to do static stretching after working out and before sleeping. While the timing does not matter as much, the most important thing to keep in mind is to be consistent on a daily basis and keep stretching not only when you have pains and aches, but also on a daily basis regardless of how you feel. Prevention is the best treatment!
]]>
Back pain is common among people who practice weight lifting or those who perform high impact sports. But the pain usually lasts less than a day and they can get back to their daily routine in about 72 hours.
However, if the pain you experience presents signs you’ve never felt before that severely affect your life, then it’s probably serious and you should get it checked out. Generally speaking, back pain is not a life-threatening emergency where you need to call medics to send you for an emergency operation, but it can affect the quality of your life.
If you experience pain that does not affect the back only but affects the whole body, then it’s probably nerve compression that needs to be fixed. The back is surrounded by major nerves that can control your quad, hips, and feet, so if there is nerve compression, you will either experience radiating pain or numbness in those areas.
If you experience numbness in other parts of your body including your legs or hips, then it’s probably because your nerves got damaged. It might also be because your nerves got pinched, either way, it’s definitely a good call to ask for an emergency.
If you have a sharp pain in your back instead of a general soreness that causes pain, then it’s likely because of a torn ligament or muscle around the back. If the sharp pain persists for more than a day, then it’s definitely an emergency.
One of the reasons why you should definitely call an emergency is having incontinence. This can indicate a lot of issues such as sclerosis, cancer, or nerve damage that needs to be treated as soon as possible.
A common symptom of nerve damage is that the pain not only radiates to other body parts, but also caused pain and discomfort in the neck, shoulders, and hips. If you experience back pain that is also associated with neck pain or shoulder pain, then it’s likely because you have pressure on a nerve.
If it has been more than a day and you have problems going to the bathroom, sitting, standing up, stretching, or moving at all, then it’s an indication that you are suffering from a disc herniation which needs to be treated urgently.
]]>
It becomes very easy to understand how obesity can give you back pain when we start to think of obesity as a weight problem. Imagine if someone lives their daily life in a perfect weight with no back problems. Now think what would happen if they were to put on a 50-pound weight suit all over their body? First what happens is that the back starts to take much of the load, then the neck, knees, hips, feet, and shoulders? The muscles might get used to it, but the back won’t. It might be good to train with a heavyweight to strengthen to the back for 30 minutes at the gym, but having that weight all your life when you sleep, sit, work, move around or do anything is going to cause a lot of issues.
The lower part of the back, or lumbar spine, is considered to be one of the most vulnerable parts and the most common one to have issues. This rate of lower back injury increase when there is a lot of weight to manage since the stomach, which is one of the heaviest body parts in an obese person, tends to pull your hips forward. The latter creates a strain in the lower back which if prolonged can create some serious problems such as herniated discs and pinched nerves.
One of the common back problems obesity causes is disc disruption that happens between the vertebrates. These discs are there to absorb shock from everyday movement, but they are not designed for long term pressure. With obesity’s weight increase, this pressure builds up until discs either slip or disrupt.
Spondylosis or spine degeneration is also a common problem that obesity causes and it all starts with the weight increase. The spine tends to suffer from degeneration when there is long-term pressure which is usually caused by weight increase.
One of the most common back problems people continue to suffer from is disc herniation. While this is also a common problem for athletes, the most affected demographic is actually people with weight management issues, i.e. obese people.
Another common back problem that affects a lot of people in the world including people who are obese is spine osteoarthritis. However, this problem seems to accelerate and worsen with obesity.
]]>
We hear a lot about cervical spine injuries these days, they are any type of damage done to the upper back-neck area including hernias and they can be very problematic. The reason why these are so common is because of the way that the neck is shaped. It’s supposed to absorb a lot of shocks that have been put on the body through jumping, walking, sitting, exercising, moving, but the area itself is not made for sustaining that much pressure. In addition to that, the cervical bones in the neck are surrounded by a lot of nerves, tendons, and ligaments which are so tight.
All of this added to the fixation that the neck has to be put into through working on the computer or desk can add to the causes of why cervical spine injuries are so common. Problems can include lack of mobility, pain, swelling, discomfort, and cracking.
Just like there are a lot of ways to treat neck pain and cervical spine injuries, there are a lot of ways to strengthen that area and make it more resilient to injuries. Not only that, we can take easy precautionary actions every day if we experience cervical spine injuries more often.
Mike Tyson was the first to make neck exercises more popular with his ridiculous looking methods. As comical as they looked, those neck exercises helped Mike Tyson developed on the toughest chins in boxing where even the strongest punchers in the heavyweight division could not knock him out. Strengthening your neck through exercises as simple as holding the side to side position can have a lot of benefits.
You can use this routine for starting out twice per week and work your way up:
Side to side: Hold your chin down to each shoulder for 10 seconds for 6 rounds on each.
Up and down: Slowly raise your head up and down controlling the head for 10 reps 10 times.
Other exercises that work the neck but not directly may include pull-ups, deadlifts, and front squats because they force the neck to be in an optimal position.
This is a great method to use every day before and after you wake up to ensure your neck muscles do not develop knots and tightness over time. You can use your hands for assistance if you need more tension by pushing your head slightly to the angle you want to the neck to stretch. Be very careful when doing these and always start slow.
The majority of pain and discomfort is caused by us sitting or walking in a suboptimal position. Always ensure that you are sitting, walking, and standing in a good posture. Make sure your eyes are directly forward, chest up, shoulders back, and arms straight out.
Our neck stays fixed in a position for hours when we sleep, so obviously when we sleep in a bad position, it can cause injuries and pain. So make sure that you use a cervical pillow because it ensures that your head is in the right position at all times.
One of the easiest ways to prevent a cervical spine injury is to never run into it in the first place. If you’re in a bar where a fight is breaking out, then just leave because you never know when you might have to engage. Another thing to do is avoid lifting heavy things, especially with bad form while doing other things.
]]>
We’ve come a long way in terms of our development, but one thing that has remained the same for hundreds of millennia is our anatomy. Our lifestyle contradicts the way we are structured, sitting all day in front of a desk on a chair is definitely not the way we spent our time even 100 years ago.
All this stress on our back due to misplaced loads from sitting all day can lead to stiffness, pain, discomfort, lack of mobility, and eventually even injuries. But if we can mimic the way we naturally sit all day to make it more efficient for the way our back is shaped, then we can prevent all these issues from happening in the first place.
Back pain stretchers don’t do anything flashy or extravagant, but the effect that they have on the body is large. All they do is correct our posture to make it fit the way we naturally should sit and lay down. Sitting and working is not going anywhere, in fact, people are sitting and working more than ever now that work has become more remote. So using this back pain stretcher to correct our posture when we sit or lay down is the best way possible to counter back pain.
There are a lot of great benefits you will notice with the back pain stretcher such as:
You can use this device on the floor by putting is down on a mat. Place your back carefully and slowly onto the mat so that the curvature of the back naturally fits with the back stretcher. You may need some extra support such as a pillow. If you have back pain as well as neck pain, you may need to use a cervical pillow which will add even more support and comfort to your back.
If you are sitting down, it may be a bit tricky, but all you need to do is to place the stretcher at the right angle so that the back is in the right spot to feel the multi-level lumbar support in the lumbar area.
If you’re looking to optimize your sleep, then you should definitely start working on setting a time when you sleep and wake up every single day rather than sleeping whenever you feel like it. This trick will help your body automatically feel sleepy when it’s time by working in with the circadian rhythm that naturally dictates your energy levels. In addition to that, this trick helps you set a night and morning routine so you don’t waste any time.
Working out is a great thing to do for your body and it is best done in the morning if you’re looking to have the best sleep at night. By releasing hormones and raising your energy levels in the morning, your body will slowly but surely feel the need to sleep as the night approaches, and by the time you’re ready for bed, you can doze off at the drop of a hat.
One of the best ways to improve your sleep is to massage your neck an hour or so before going to bed, this will ensure that your muscles are relaxed and you don’t have any tightness. You can use something like a myofascial massage, but you can also go for a massager that does all the work for you while you work or watch your favorite TV show.
One of the worst things you can do before you sleep is to eat a big meal right before bed. This is a terrible idea and it might make you feel sleepy, but it’s not good for your body. The body after eating spends a lot of energy metabolizing food into ATP, but if you sleep during this time, you’ll have a lot of discomfort at night including sweating.
The best way to improve your sleep is to remove all light and distractions from your room, even those little creaks that show light, and your phone can alter your sleep. We operate on the circadian rhythm and the way our bodies know that it’s time to sleep is when there isn’t much light. But if you have a lot of lights while you sleep, you’re confusing your body which might prevent you from getting into REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement).
Caffeine is great for waking you up and giving you a jolt of energy, but it’s terrible for your sleep. We know that people are reasonable enough not to drink coffee before sleeping, but the problem is that the half-life of caffeine is longer than you think and it’s best to cut it out 8 hours before you sleep.
One of the things people don’t often talk about is the bedroom temperature and sleep, if your room is hot while you sleep, you might wake up more often or have a hard time to sleep. It’s best if you set the room temperature to where it’s quite chilly to the point that you need a blanket. This is why winter nights are the best.
Cervical pillows have come and really changed the way people sleep forever. You have to know that when you sleep, you really don’t know where your head is going. If you sleep in a bad position at night, it’ll give you a lot of headaches and tightness in the morning. But with the cervical pillow, all these issues are easy to fix. Cervical pillows allow your neck to stay in the most optimal position while you sleep which is why they are recommended in our sleep. They’re perfect for side, back, or stomach sleepers and on any side you want.
]]>There is no doubt in mind that age has a lot to do with your back and neck health. Osteoporosis and arthritis become the number one enemy when you pass the 60-year-old mark. It causes stiffness, joint pain, discomfort, cracking, and other major issues with bone density, tendon flexibility, and lubrication around the back and neck. However, these back and neck issues seem to be aggravated if someone’s past has been filled with neck injuries or if they worked in a job where their neck was exposed to a lot of trauma. Builders, as well as labor workers, are known for experiencing back and neck problems as early as 30 years old.
It’s not the computer that is causing our neck pain, it’s the way we use it. When we sit in a fixed position with our neck unsupported for hours at a time, it’s obviously going to weaken the muscles and cause stiffness in the long run. Posture is one of those things that you have to just nip it in the bud because if you develop one bad posture habit such as collapsing your chest, it’ll be followed by collapsing your shoulders dropping your head, and curving your spine.
Sleep has to be the most underrated part of the day that people just don’t appreciate enough. It’s when our mind finally gets some rest, but we often ruin this period by sleeping badly. Our neck and back are bones, ligaments, and muscles that need healing, but if we’re sleeping less than 6 hours a day or sleeping poorly, this can affect the integrity of our spine which causes neck and back pain.
If you’re overloaded with stress all day, your neck will tighten up and cause some issues. In some cases, neck pain can be so severe that it causes headaches. Stress is definitely something you want to avoid not just for your mental health, but also for your physical health.
Our spine does not have an unlimited amount of weight that it can support, a smaller frame is made to support a lighter load. Weight gain is a direct load on the back and neck and this is especially true if the weight gain is extreme and sudden. If someone gains over 70 pounds in a short amount of time, they will put their back in a vulnerable position. Just imagine yourself except you have to get strapped to 70 pounds, at some point, the back or neck are going to give out.
There are obviously a lot of factors that can cause neck and back pain, the goal is to identify them and find solutions you can opt for. Whether it’s the lack of quality sleep, injuries, or posture, work on it before it’s too late.
]]>
If you have been feeling some pain worsened in a particular spot such as when you recline your head back or pain when you twist your head left to right, then you probably have one of the most common cervical pain symptoms. Other symptoms can be muscle tightness, decreased range of motion, sharp pain in a particular spot, and random ticks of pain.
There are a few causes for that and most of them can be due to the anatomy of the neck area. Our cervical spine is the weakest part of the spine and it causes the most problems. It has to stand erect, stay flexible, and be resilient at the same time. Therefore, a lot of problems can arise even from just sleeping in the wrong position. Here are some of the reasons why you have cervical spine pain:
Our neck muscles are usually not as developed to sustain a lot of damage such as in long periods of time while you sleep in the wrong position or if you suffer a sudden strike to the neck. This can be done while you are sleeping, grinding your teeth, or sitting in the wrong position.
If you do a lot of sports, then you probably have injured your neck. It is not a serious problem, but it can be if you have extreme symptoms. These injuries often happen with high impact sports such as wrestling, boxing, football, judo, MMA, and any sport where your neck is exposed.
Your nerves can actually pinch against the bone or around the connective tissue. It can lead to a lot of problems such as numbness in your arm or the inability to move your arm. Thankfully, this is often an easy cause to fix. This can happen for any reason such as sudden movements, high impact sports, or just doing everyday regular activities.
Your joints will wear out with age, this is an issue a lot of older people have where they experience a lack of lubrication in their neck and surrounding structure. You can’t really do anything about this aside from preventing this issue from happening by strengthening the neck.
Neck pain can be caused by diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis, or cancer. Unfortunately, these are persistent symptoms where you have to treat the cause instead of going for the pain.
There are times when you know you are going to have neck pain for a while such as injuries, strains, or in the cases of arthritis. So you should find ways you deal with the pain while you work on getting rid of the source. The path to getting rid of the cervical spine pain is not easy and it requires to adjust a lot of your habits such as sleeping on your stomach, not using a good pillow, slouching, and not protecting your neck from potential hazards.
The hot and cold treatment is perfect for any kind of neck pain because it helps release the blood but also promotes recovery in the targeted area. You can grab some ice in a plastic bag and a hot rag, apply the ice for a few minutes, and then the hot rag for another few minutes. You can take breaks reheating the rag again. This works pretty well for people who have consistent acute pain.
There are a few times when all you need is a good stretch in your neck to release any nerve pinch in that area. You might benefit from stretching because it loosens the tissue and helps promote flexion.
Massages are also a great way to deal with cervical spine pain and they work the same way stretching does. They stretch and elongate the tissue around to promote recovery.
When you don’t know where this neck pain is coming from, it’s best to give it some time to see what happens from there. If the pain is persistent and it gets worse, then you should seek a professional, if it decreases, then you know it was just another strain.
You can always take some medication such as ibuprofen which decreases the inflammation in the area. The only problem with this method is that you should not develop any dependence on medication because it can have some adverse effects where inflammation is actually needed.
This might be a needed option for people who have unbearable neck pain but for no apparent reason. It’s usually a corticosteroid medication near the nerve roots of the neck and into the facet joints in the bones of the neck. It can also be used in the muscles in your neck to help with the pain.
You don’t have to just sit and wait for it to happen, you can take measures against cervical spine pain by preventing it from happening. The first thing you can do is protect your neck in the same as an injury. If you play sports, then you should protect your neck and wear gear if necessary.
Another great method is to use a cervical pillow just as in the cervical cloud’s. It can be used for both back and side sleepers and it provides great support. It protects your neck and prevents you from rolling or twisting while you sleep which is where most of the injuries happen.
]]>
The first few weeks of pregnancy are remarkable, but they can also come with a whole host of problems including spotting, pains, swelling, and neck pain. Shoulder pain in the first few weeks, however, could be quite telling. It can be a serious problem that indicates an ectopic pregnancy and if you suspect that this might be the case, then you certainly need to seek medical help immediately to ensure safety.
A woman’s body changes quite a lot during pregnancy in order to make the body a suitable place for the baby. These changes can cause the ligaments, tendons, muscles, and the skin to become loose and stretchy in order to make room for the weight of the baby. Not only that, but it also helps during labor. But these morphological changes can cause the woman’s body to get tight in a few spots, namely, the back, shoulder, and neck.
These changes in the body are not always the direct cause for the neck and shoulder pain, but what happens after that might be why you have shoulder pain. This relaxing period where the body loosens itself cause also caused changes in the way a woman stands up, sits, sleeps, or walks, and these changes can be the reason why a woman is experiencing neck and shoulder pain in the early stages of pregnancy.
Another possible cause is deposits of cholesterol or calcium in the gallbladder or bile ducts the gall stones which can make you feel a pain in the stomach, abdominal area, and the neck.
What really happens is that the body of a woman when she is pregnant goes through a lot of changes that can stay even longer after giving birth. The loosening and stretching of the body can cause other issues such as knee pain, lack of mobility, and joint pain.
The changes mentioned also include sleep. A pregnant woman will change her sleep a lot which can cause the shoulders and neck to go into a position where they have to be squished. This isn’t that great for the ligaments because it can cause minor nerve pinching and even muscle strains. Though there are a few ways to deal with this issue, it will still persist until the end of the pregnancy.
There is no perfect time to visit the doctor when it comes to this issue, if the pain in your shoulder and neck is not due to a change in your position, then it could be due to ectopic or tubal pregnancy. The best thing to do in this case is to go to the doctor’s office so they can run scans and tests to ensure that everything checks out.
If you have any pain in your stomach, or if the pain is intensifying regardless of what method you use to numb the pain, then it’s time to get immediate medical attention.
You have a lot of ways to deal with neck and shoulder pain in the first weeks of being pregnant. Some of those are going to deal with the neck itself. You can’t deal with the source because the source is the pregnancy itself, so here are a few methods to treat neck and shoulder pain during the first stages.
You might just need a good massage and what better way to get a massage than the cervical cloud’s neck and shoulder massager. You can use it anytime and anywhere you want as long as it’s well charged. The great thing about it is that it’s portable so even if you have to travel move lot, you can always take it with you.
Stretching is a good idea for any kind of neck pain because it can release some of those pinched nerves. Not only that, but it can also promote healing of the tissue and help improve flexibility.
If you have consistent pain in your neck and shoulder in the first weeks, then it’s probably time to change the pillows. Pregnant women can sleep in awkward positions which puts the neck and shoulders in a vulnerable spot. The cervical cloud’s pillow is great for both back and side sleeping. It supports the head from both positions to prevent random movements, and it also has a memory foam which is very comfortable. It’s made with light materials that do not overheat which can be one of the struggles of pregnancy.
These are great because they provide very good comfort. They work similar to the cervical cloud massager, except the heat is more dispersed. You can apply the heating pad around your neck and shoulders and it will feel like the pain is just melting off.
By visiting a good practitioner, they can ensure that you release any pain that you have including lower back, shoulder, neck, hip, and knee pain which are all very common during pregnancy.
Pregnancy is a wonderful time for a woman, but it is also a time full of pain, discomfort, and health issues. One of those is the neck and shoulder pain that might happen to start the first few weeks of pregnancy. Many women experience this pain because of an ectopic or tubal pregnancy which needs immediate medical attention, but most women will experience it just because of the stress on the body that is caused by the loosening of the ligaments. You should consider the options given, but don’t hesitate to talk to a doctor about this issue.
You can definitely benefit from stretching especially if you do it quite regularly. Stretching can help the ligaments and tendons around the neck to be more flexible. If you are in a state where your neck is fixed at a certain point such as in driving or when you’re on your phone, then it definitely helps if you stretch from side to side and then front to back. Try this routine next time:
You do not have to do this only when sitting down for extended periods of time, you can try this anytime you like especially before workouts if you have an issue that bothers while you train.
There are a few ways that you can cure your neck pain fast, but this one might take a bit longer, but it will have great benefits. In fact, it might be fast for you if you have a bad posture. Try this:
This is a great way to fix your posture and it will help fast but also in the long term.
Sometimes all you need is a good massage with deep stretching. You should opt for a more sports based massage because it is going to target the ligaments, tendons, and the muscle around the neck instead of just the sensational feeling of the massage.
If you are really looking for a way to get rid of neck pain, then there is no reason why you should not get this massager. It gives you the deep effective neck pain relief that you can feel almost instantly. As the petals blow gently, you can feel the tension melting away which is what you need.
One of the best things about this cervical cloud neck and shoulder massage is that it’s portable and it can be used anywhere as long as it’s charged. All you need is to get on your neck and relax for a few minutes. You can apply it on your neck while you drive when you work, while you browse, or any time really. The only thing you have to be aware of is the fact that the massager is extremely relaxing and you just want to go to sleep when you put it on.
It uses both heat and electric pulsation to remove the pain. It can reach around an inch to two inches below the skin to open pressure points or ‘hot spots’ It will remove any discomfort you are having because the pulsation will have acupuncture effects to the neck. The pulsations are also changeable so you can adjust the intensity to where you feel your neck is getting a release from tension.
Using this cervical spine massager will help in many ways including:
Nerve pinch is very common and a lot of people suffer from it. It can last for up to a month and it can cause numbness and random pain in the arm, leg, and sometimes even half of the body. It’s all in the neck because so many nerves and connective tissue originate from there.
A good way to make sure you get rid of any knots is traction devices. These are going to help you do the opposite of what gravity does to your neck which is compressing it. Traction helps unlock all the small joints and bones that are around the neck so that you can straighten your neck in a stretched position. It might be worth a shot because the nerve pinch is very common.
If you think you have inflammation in the neck, it’s a good idea to take ibuprofen because it will help lower it to a level where you are more comfortable. It’s important to check the specification and ask your doctor is over the counter medication is something you’re allowed to take.
Chiropractors have experienced professionals who have a lot of people coming in for issues such as shoulder pain, back pain, hip pain, and more commonly neck pain. They will do a combination of traction, massage, and release therapy which can take the stress of your neck and upper back. You might find that there are more underlying issues such as in your shoulder or lower back which have caused this issue in the first place.
Soft squishy and hollow mattresses can cause a lot of stress on your neck, this is why you should consider a firmer mattress because it can support you better. More importantly, you should look into cervical pillows which have a lot of benefits when it comes to both treating and preventing neck pain.
]]>
There are so many reasons why you are experiencing back pain when breathing that are very dangerous and need medical attention, some only need a few adjustments to get rid of the pain, but here are a few which might be true.
Your back and midsection hold a ton of organs and bones inside which can cause our back to weaken over time. Not only that, but the back can also have a few issues such as hernias that may be due to overuse and overwork. If you work in a job that requires you to be very active, lift heavy objects, and work hard physically for many hours per day, then the reason why you have back pain when breathing is probably because of strain.
This is a bone disease that increases the potential for the bones to fracture, break, or become more brittle. In fact, most people are not even aware of the fact that they have Osteoporosis until they get a fracture that is caused by compression. This can lead to rib cage bones puncturing the surrounding connective tissue whenever you breathe because the diaphragm expands and retracts with breathing.
The reason why you have pain in your back while you breathe could be due to a blood clot in the lung. This is common with people who have preexisting blood problems, but anyone could get it.
A common reason why people have random pain in their back when they breathe is because of vertebrae fractures caused by impact. Some people experience this after accidents, but people who play sports such as boxing, MMA, or football can experience it too. The vertebrae can fracture quite deeply and cause the organs around it to hit a sharp bone fracture which is very painful.
This is a side curvature of the spine and it can get serious especially if left untreated. It can happen to young adolescents who are growing, but the same could be the case for older people who just happen to have poor posture. There are a few causes for scoliosis and most of them are related to your genes. Some people are just more prone to getting scoliosis than others. You can get scoliosis if you overuse one side of your back, though this does not happen very often, people do experience it especially truck drivers who sit on tilted seats or have to lean for hours at a time. This curvature in the spine causes the lungs to meet the other tissue around it which might cause pain.
There are a lot of dangers to being overweight and obese including increased risk of cancer, increased risk of heart disease, and increased risk of heart failure. However, another issue that obese people have to deal with is pain, especially when breathing. The fat tissue that is around the lungs can block and prevent the lungs to fully extend.
A broken rib is sometimes the reason why someone has pain when they breathe. In fact, most don’t even realize that they have a broken rib until they feel it when they breathe. The bad news is that this can happen to anyone even when you’re sneezing, coughing, or just falling.
If it’s nothing serious or major, then one of the things you should consider is the hot and cold treatment, this will help you release any kind of pain, but also promote recovery which is important.
You should also consider speaking to a professional about this. A broken rib or lung issues are nothing to stay quiet about. They can give you the proper diagnosis through an MRI scan and they can determine that is giving that pain when you breathe.
If you are someone who is obese or if you know the cause of this issue, then you should certainly limit what is causing you this issue. If the problem is obesity, then this is a warning sign to start losing weight immediately. You don’t need to make big changes to see big results, start by removing oils, sugars, or any fast foods. Cook your own meals and stick to a lot of vegetables, lean protein, high-quality carbs, and be active. Start by walking a few dozens of minutes per day to get back in shape, then slowly build your way up so you can join a gym or start running. Keep your weight loss in a log and see how the pain when breathing changes, if you still didn’t feel any change, then it’s likely another issue, but still, obesity is a serious condition that can wreak havoc on your life.
Back pain when you are breathing is definitely something you need to check with a physician or a medical doctor. They can run the tests and see what is really going on. It’s very important that you eliminate any sources of inflammation that can be the cause of the pain such as eating lots of sugar or greasy foods. Stick to vegetables, stay hydrated, and scale the pain. If the pain persists, then it is likely one of the more serious issues and they should be treated immediately so you can have a life free of pain.
]]>
Sleeping on your side is a relatively comfortable position, it’s much better than sleeping on your stomach. However, this sleeping position might present some issues that can cause pain around your shoulders, neck and back. Therefore, there are a few precautionary sleeping positions you need to be aware of as well as the best pillows to use for side sleeping.
The problem with sleeping on your side:
Side sleeping is relatively easy on your lower back because it does not laterally compress the vertebrae pieces. However, sleeping on your side does make your back more vulnerable to minor short term deformations because you won’t have any support particularly in the lower back. The spine has a natural curve when looked at from the side, but it’s still straight when looked at from the back. When you sleep for 8 hours, your spine muscles cannot maintain contraction to hold that position straight, so it will curve in a way that it is not supposed to with some time.
Another issue that presents itself with sleeping on your side is the neck problem. There are very few pillows that can perfectly shape your neck, and more often than not, you will find that pillows are either too hard and they can’t be flexible, or they’re too soft and they cause your neck to collapse in.
The same can be said about the shoulders because eventually, they will round forward causing a break in your posture. This can undo the work you’ve been putting during the day to fix the posture, if your posture during the day is perfect and during the night it’s terrible, then you’re having to fight two problems at the same time.
You can fix all of these problems if you use a pillow that is designed for side sleeping. In addition to that, it helps at first if you can use a pillow between your legs because it helps comfort.
Best materials for side sleeper pillows:
There are quite a few pillow materials you need to be aware of when it comes to side sleeping, these are the best which will work well with your neck shape, and won’t be too hard.
Latex: Latex can be a great material for pillows in general because it has a soft feeling and it does not cause irregular bumps in your pillow. It’s also great for people who have allergies because it does not soak dust.
Feather: Another great material is with feathers. They’re excellent for comfort and you can always adjust the thickness of the pillow depending on your comfort.
Mix: These are pillows that have different kinds of materials in the same case, they offer both comfort and adjustability with a lot of variety depending on your style.
Best kinds of pillows for side sleepers:
There are many kinds of pillows on the market, long pillows, hollow pillows, neck support, body pillows, and sleep apnea pillows. But that doesn’t mean that all of these pillows are right for you. Some pillows are just not going to be as comfortable or as convenient for side sleeping. When it comes to side sleeping, you’re going to need to stick with two types of pillows which are perfect for neck comfort.
Contour pillow: These pillows have a slightly hollow shape which allows for the side sleeper to be comfortable in both the right and left side. In addition to that, it also gives a slightly declined and decreased surface for when you would like to sleep on your back. This slightly decreased level is perfect even for back sleepers because it does not allow for the head to make too much movement and it supports it from both sides.
Curved pillows: Another type of pillow you might enjoy is the curved pillow shape. This one is new to the market but it offers a lot of versatility. It can be used as a back sleeping pillow, but it does not have the same comfort as the contour pillow.
The best pillow for side sleepers to prevent neck pain:
The CervicalCloud™ Neck Pain Contour Pillow is the best pillow on the market all things considered. It has the best versatility, and it also offers a lot of comfort. It comes with more than one size and it could be the revolutionary product that just fixes your neck pain for good. The way it is shaped ergonomically fits right with the way the neck curves with the spine which prevents the load on your back that you get when sleeping with a thick or hollow pillow. The benefits do not just stop there:
Conclusion:
The CervicalCloud™ Neck Pain Contour Pillow is the single greatest piece you need for neck comfort. If you had to get only one thing to heal the neck pain and fix your posture while you sleep, you have got to choose the cervical cloud. You can notice the difference in the same night and it’s great for both back sleepers and side sleepers.
]]>Your neck is probably the most underrated body part for comfort. It is made up of small and delicate vertebrae that absorb the shock. In addition to that, it also contains a lot of small muscles, nerves, discs, and ligaments that all have to support your head movement. Any kind of abnormality can cause neck pain and stiffness and until you fix that problem, you will likely suffer for a few days. We can all relate to neck pain, but not all of us have the same type of pain. In this article, we’ll discuss why you have neck pain, what causes it, what can you do to fix it, and how should you go about it moving forward in order to prevent it from happening again.
Why does it hurt?
There are a few reasons as to why your neck might hurt. Overall, neck pain is not a serious chronic condition that requires immediate medical attention, but it definitely can cause some distress in your life. Neck pain itself can cause you to have headaches, decreased productivity, and generally ruin your mood. Not to mention, neck pain prevents you from having full range of motion.
Usually when we talk about neck pain, it’s a change in the regular morphology of the neck. It’s usually a muscle stiffness or a nerve pinch which can be blocked by some of the vertebrae ridges. In fact, nerve pinch in the neck can actually cause shoulder and arm pain because it’s so close to the central nervous system. This is why we feel a slight euphoria when we release the neck pain by way of massage of treatment.
Causes for neck pain:
Injuries:
A very common reason why people have neck pain is because of an injury in case of a fall, an accident or upon impact. Boxers are known to have a lot of neck pain due to the impact they receive on the head. The neck muscle and ligaments can receive up to 100 pounds of impact from a direct punch, and if the person is not aware and they have not braced themselves for impact, they might hurt their neck quite severely. Other sports such as rugby can also cause the same type of injury because it’s a heavy impact sport. Usually, this has to do with the ligaments forced to move beyond their limits which can cause tears or separations.
Meningitis:
This has to do with inflammation of the connective tissue that is around the brain. Meningitis can also cause a lot of headaches, trauma, and hallucinations. Overall, this is a bad type of neck pain and it needs immediate medical care.
Rheumatoid Arthritis:
This cause of neck pain usually comes with overall stiffness and swelling of the neck. It’s common amongst the senior demographic but it can also happen to younger people.
Muscle strain:
This is the most common reason why people have neck pain and it’s usually because of poor posture and bad neck mechanics. It can be caused by sitting at your desk for too long, having bad posture, sudden neck movements, and even bad sleeping positions. Though this is the most common cause for neck pain, it is also the easiest one to deal with.
Osteoporosis:
This is condition that causes the neck to have internal fractures and can lead to irreversible damage. It weakens the bones around the neck and can even cause shoulder and chest pain.
Treatments for neck pain:
If your neck pain is not caused by sudden movement or by having a bad posture, then you might consider going to a doctor for MRI scans, blood tests and X-rays for more accurate and effective methods of treatment. However, if you have nagging neck pain that’s causing you some headaches, lack of productivity and a general bad mood, then you should consider the following treatments:
Icing: Icing helps relieve pain in the neck area by improving blood circulation. You should alternate between hot and cold compress for improved results.
Anti-inflammatory: You can always choose to get some over the counter medications for relieving pain and decreasing inflammation in your neck. Ibuprofen and paracetamol are good options, just make sure you consult your doctor about the dose for more accurate and safe treatments.
Resting: If you know the neck pain has been caused by an injury in sports, then take a few days off for a massage and to let the neck heal.
Traction: In some cases, traction can help relief neck pain especially if you have a pinched nerve. You can achieve this by elevating your neck slightly through a neck support equipment.
Better posture: Your posture is probably the number one thing you can do in order to improve the way your neck feels. It can immediately help your neck pain and conditions you to maintain a better neck posture in the future.
Special cervical pillow for neck comfort: If you’re serious about getting rid of neck pain for good, then you should definitely consider getting a cervical pillow for your neck. These are perfect if you’re a side or a back sleeper because they perfectly hold your neck in the best position while you sleep. The results can be noticed immediately.
Things you can do to prevent neck pain:
There are a few things that can surely strengthen your neck and prevent any injuries moving forward. Some of these are more specialized, but others should be used by everyone.
Neck strengthening: If you frequent heavy impact sports such as Jujutsu, boxing, wrestling, judo, and other sports where your neck is in a vulnerable position, then you should consider strengthening your neck. You can do this by improving the range of motion from left to right, and up and down. Once you feel like your neck is healthy again, you can add more resistance just by your hand and it will go a long way. Mike Tyson actually attributes his resilience to neck injuries and getting knocked out to neck exercises, he used a neck strap attached to weights to thicken the muscles around his neck.
Improving posture: Another excellent way to prevent neck injuries is to improve the way you stand, sit, and sleep. These are the most common positions your neck is going to be in. Your neck is very delicate and it is not as thick as your hips, knees, or lower back, so make sure that your neck is in straight position at all times. A good way to do this is to look exactly ahead and elevate your chest slightly.
Getting a cervical pillow: These are pillows that are designed perfectly for your neck while you sleep. We have no control over what our neck does while we sleep and in fact, most injuries happen while you sleep. You can totally prevent those if you have a good pillow such as the Cervical Cloud™ Neck Pain Contour Pillow. This piece alone can fix years of neck pain and you can notice the results almost immediately.
]]>If you wake up with some neck pain every day, then don’t feel lonely because more than half of the people in the world experience some type of neck pain when they wake up. Neck pain is not exclusive to older people or those that are into sports, it can affect anyone with any activity level. Luckily, your sleeping position and your pillow have everything to do with neck pain and you can easily fix the pain by getting a cervical pillow. Since these are relatively new pillows, cervical pillows have been questioned about their efficacy when it comes to helping with the neck. So let’s explore everything about cervical pillows and how they help neck pain.
Do cervical pillows help your neck pain?
The answer is yes, cervical pillows help your neck pain because they help cradle your neck and provide more stable position where you neck can sit. They’re also perfect for both side sleepers and back sleepers to find their ideal sleep position.
How cervical pillows help your neck pain:
There are many ways that the cervical pillow helps relief neck pain. The type of pillow is designed not only for relieving neck pain, but it is also designed for preventing it which is great for those that suffer from it quite frequently..
Ergonomic position: One of the cool things about cervical pillows is that they all have an ergonomic position that is designed to go with the natural curve of the neck and upper back. A big issue that’s found with regular pillow blocks is that they’re too steep and too square-shaped. Our neck is not shaped like that, but the cervical pillow is designed to fit the shape of your neck. Moreover, the shape of the pillow is typically in three parts. It has two sides for side sleepers, but it also has a middle side for back sleepers as well which can be great.
Memory foam: The memory foam added to the cervical pillow just makes it 10 times even better than it already is. The fabric that is inside and the filling provide a slow and even distribution of weight which does not hurt your neck when you're sleeping. This is great for people who have a tender neck. The memory foam is not too abrasive which is why the elevation sinks exactly for the right height.
Benefits of cervical pillow for neck pain:
Three positions: The cervical pillows do not just offer a position for one side only. In fact, this is the problem with most other pillows, they’re only good for back sleeping. However, we move around a lot while we sleep and may switch positions during the night quite a few times. This is why it’s great to have a good cervical pillow because it fits your neck position every time you turn your head.
Optimal support: Most regular pillows you find are either too soft like feather pillows or they’re too hard. If the pillow is too soft, then the neck and shoulder will start collapsing in which may cause you to feel a lot of discomforts. Moreover, because the pillow uses memory foam, the weight of the head is evenly distributed no matter which side you sleep on.
Relief for headaches: Your neck position can cause you to either feel great in the morning or suffer a headache. Headaches are caused either by a blockage of blood to the brain or by blockage of air supply. Both of these can be obstructed if your neck position is not optimal.
Healing in an optimal state: If you have suffered an injury to your neck, it would be a terrible idea to go back to regular pillows again. Your neck needs to heal properly and if you heal it in a state that causes pain, it will never feel as good as it used to. This is where cervical pillows come in, they help your neck stay in a neutral position while it is being healed.
The Cervical Cloud™ Neck Pain Contour Pillow:
If you are now looking for a pillow that can help you sleep better at night, then look no further. The cervical cloud contour pillow is probably the best deal you can get anywhere you look. It uses the best materials you can find and it also perfectly shapes your head while you sleep. You can get it in different sizes and the quality is impeccable.
Furthermore, the breathable memory foam that is inside the pillowcase provides you with better air circulation to keep the pillow dry, you never have to flip the pillow again because the cervical pillow is designed to stay cool at all times. Another great factor is the hypoallergenic polyester proprietary blend that feels exactly like a hotel pillow. It is quite amazing how this pillow feels in comparison with other pillows and the cool thing is that it even provides dust mite protection.
In fact, this is the exact type of pillow a lot of physicians recommend because the way that it curves at the tip is exactly the way that the spine curves around the head. It actually feels like you’re not even on a pillow since it does not have that steep ridge. Not to mention, the super-soft cushion made out of memory foam is not too abrasive on your neck and it doesn’t restrict breathing.
Cervical pillows are the product of the future, they offer a lot of comfort and versatility, not to mention that they have a sleek and elegant look that isn’t outdated. Cervical pillows are the perfect blend between comfort and style. You will not only relieve any back pain, shoulder pain, or neck pain you might currently have, but you will also ensure that you do not get neck strains while you sleep which is one of the most common reasons why people get neck pain in the first place. The sooner you get this cervical pillow, the better your sleep is going to be.
]]>