6 Habits That Cause Neck Pain

About 67% of the world’s population has habits that cause neck pain. Are you included in this “generous” percentage?

Do you know what habits cause neck pain? What can you do to combat this discomfort?

Cervical pain is caused by activities that involve repetitive movements or a prolonged and inappropriate posture of the body. They can lead to tension, ligament damage or spasms in the neck muscles.

Most of the time, you adopt without realizing habits that cause neck pain. You may not have realized that they have certain negative effects or you are aware that they affect your health, but you have never associated them with discomfort in the neck area.

Today we reveal to you what these harmful habits are. Be very careful and make the necessary changes to enjoy a healthier and more comfortable life.

Habits that cause neck pain

Sedentary lifestyle can cause neck pain

Lack of physical activity is harmful to the whole body.

Sedentary lifestyle is one of the habits that affects your neck, because it intervenes in the metabolism of the intervertebral disc, which needs movement to maintain the vital balance of the cells.

The structure of the spine allows you to move easily, which is why when you do not do this, injuries occur. They cause pain along the spine and especially in the neck area.

The way to avoid these inconveniences is to move. Any physical activity is useful:

• Walking
• Running
• Swimming
• The dance
• Yoga

Don’t force yourself too hard at first. If you are sedentary and then adopt a very intense exercise program, you can cause injuries to the neck, knees and spine.

Improper body posture

Cervical pain affects many people, and the computer state may be responsible for this problem. Often, office chairs do not fold on the natural curvature of the spine. 

Due to the fact that the lower back and arms are not supported as they should be, people who sit at the computer for a long time have to lean forward.

This habit is very harmful because it creates a “C” -shaped curve in the spine. Thus, you feel pressure in the neck and lumbosacral disc.

Ideally, you should have an ergonomic workspace, adapted to your posture and which does not affect your health. You should also set an alarm every 30-40 minutes to remind you to change your body position. In this way you improve your blood circulation and give your spine a break to rest.

Body posture is also affected by other factors, such as improper footwear or the fact that you are used to carrying heavy bags or objects. Remember that you must never carry more than 10% of your body weight. Although it seems difficult to achieve, take this recommendation into account – especially for children who carry very heavy backpacks.

Smoking

Smoking is also on the list of habits that cause neck pain. It is already associated with diabetes and lung cancer, but now you can add something to the list: chronic neck pain.

Smoking dehydrates the intervertebral discs, which accelerates the degenerative process. Thus, you may suffer from a herniated disc or nerve compression that prevents the proper functioning of the spine.

This bad habit also causes blood vessels to block. Thus, over time, less and less oxygen enters the spine and intervertebral discs.

Mobile phone

Buttoning your mobile phone doesn’t just overwhelm your thumbs. Every time you bend your head to look at the phone, you tense your neck muscles. 

Imagine a medicine ball standing on top of a golf target. Your head weighs about 5 kg, which means that it is very difficult for that target to support the medicine ball.

Limit the time spent with the phone in front of you or keep this object at eye level to prevent neck problems.

Excessive alcohol consumption

When you sleep in a strange position, your neck hurts the next day. This can happen from time to time, but it seems to happen more often when you drink alcohol.

Here’s why: People tend to change their position many times during sleep, but when they consume too much alcohol, they move much less.

Your body may remain “locked” in an unusual position that keeps your neck tense for a long time. To avoid these inconveniences, avoid consuming excess alcohol. If possible, give up alcohol completely.

Uncomfortable mattress or pillows

On the list of habits that cause neck pain we also find sleeping on too many pillows or on pillows that are too soft. These habits can affect the alignment between the head and back, putting pressure on the neck.

A soft mattress is another wrong choice, as it creates pressure points on the spine. It is not a good idea to sleep on a mattress too hard, because the column has its own curves, on which the mattress must fold.

The best option is a firm mattress with ergonomic pillows, created in such a way as to keep your head in a straight line with your back.

Have you already identified the habits that cause you neck pain? If so, do not hesitate to make the necessary changes to reduce the discomfort in the neck area.