Best Neck Exercises For A Quicker Pain Relief

Due to the stressful and hectic lifestyle, people often complain about neck and shoulder pain. Neck muscles can be strained due to poor posture, whether it's hunching over your workbench or leaning over your computer. Lack of adequate rest is one common and significant factor which strains the neck. Since the neck is quite flexible and carries the weight of the entire head, it is more likely to be exposed to injuries and conditions that cause pain and restrict motion of the head. Not only does it create a restriction in movement but can hinder your everyday lifestyle and working. 

Before diving into some quick pain relief solutions, let us see some common causes of neck pain.

1. Overuse or direct straining on the neck muscles such as keeping the neck in one single position for a long time such as sitting in front of the computer screen or sleeping in one single position for the whole time can induce neck pain.
2. Just how the other joints in the body wear down with age, similarly even the neck joints tend to deteriorate over time. If the pain persists, it can cause Osteoarthritis. It is a condition wherein the cartilage present between the bones start to deteriorate.
3. When the head experiences a jerk in backward and then forward motion, it stresses the soft tissues of the neck, and can cause a severe neck injury.
4. Bone spurs and herniated disks present in the vertebrae can cause compression on the nerves branches that may elevate into chronic pain.
5. Other ailments such as Meningitis, Rheumatoid arthritis or even a specific type of cancer can result into neck pain in individuals.

Neck pain and injuries can often be treated by high power medications but may have side effects in the long run. While indulging yourself in some daily neck exercises can help you recover faster from these discomforts. These neck exercises can be done from the comfort of your home. Do you wish to see what exercises are we talking about here that can work magic on your excruciating neck pain and constant discomfort then read on...

Basic Neck Stretch  

This basic neck stretch can be done while sitting, standing or wherever you’re without using any best neck exercise equipment. It can be an excellent solution for neck pain if done correctly. However, there are three main types of neck stretches that target a particular kind of pain and the sore muscles giving you an extended relief if done regularly and in right posture (to get the correct posture while exercising do take assistance from a certified physiotherapist) :

1) The Trap Stretch

For this neck exercise, you can just sit, stand or lie on your back while keeping your hands on the sides.

Bend your head on the side and gradually lift your shoulder towards your ear in pain free range of motion and hold it there for about 15 seconds and then slowly release.

Repeat the same exercise on the opposite side. It is advisable to perform 2 sets of 15 seconds on each side for at least twice a day. But you can do it as many times you want until you achieve the desired results or feel a little relief from the pain.    

 

2) Cervical Spine Extension 

 

This is one of the best neck exercises and super effective as it takes the downward pressure from the cervical spine while stretching the muscles, providing instant relief. 

Sit, stand or lie on the floor while your hands stretched down on the sides
 

Then push the shoulders down, and chin tucked in the chest

Extend the head back gradually while lifting the chin up towards the ceiling, but keeping the arms down and still.

Hold the posture for the next 15 seconds, release and take 30 seconds rest then repeat.

 

3) Trap And Neck Stretch

Start by slightly extending the shoulders down and backward

With the other hand hold the wrist of the arm on the side that you want to stretch

Turn your head towards the side of the neck that is to be stretched and lean the head a bit
 

Feel a stretch in the side of the neck

Hold this position for about 20 seconds and then repeat the same on each side for three times.

How to relieve tension in the shoulders and traps?

Chiropractic stretches are the best neck exercise to relieve stiffness in the shoulders and neck and are quite useful for dropping off the tension and correcting the movement when performed in a controlled and safe manner.

Since the neck is one of the most essential part of the human body and therefore, it becomes extremely important to take proper care of the same, and these techniques mentioned above do not need any best neck exercise equipment. Try practicing them under expert supervision as doing these exercise in the wrong motion, and poor or incorrect posture can elevate the pain.