We live in a modern world where the cell phone has become part of our lives. While a mobile phone makes life easier, too much can lead to what is called “text neck.” When a person has a text neck, it means that a person has severe neck pain caused by staring down at your phone.
People who suffer from this have a slumped shoulder and head tilted down for an extended period. It can be very uncomfortable and painful.
If left untreated, a text neck can lead to the neck ligaments’ inflammation, nerve irritation, and increased curvature in the spine. Here are some text neck pain home remedies for you to relieve the pain.
1. Change Your Posture
Text neck pain is a result of bending your head to look at your phone. So one of the very first steps to treating text neck pain is to change your posture. When using your mobile phone, sit upright and bring the phone to your eye level.
Practicing will help remove the habit of bending your head. So, you don’t fall back into doing what will make you have text neck pain in the future.
Also, even when you are not using your phone, check your posture all the time. Make sure your head is not tilted forward, and your shoulders are not slumped. When you are more conscious of your posture, you will experience less text neck in the future.
Read: 20 Ways To Avoid Injury During Exercise
2. Practice Neck Posture Exercises
There are a majority of exercises to do for text neck pain. You can do the chin tucks, nod, shoulder shrugs, cat-cow, child pose, or downward-facing dog.
Regular practice at home is sure to relieve you of text neck pain and even fix bad neck posture (1). These exercises help increase neck mobility.
It also creates space in your neck and increases spinal awareness. People who practice it also experience stronger shoulder and neck muscles. You don’t have to go to the gym to exercise. these workouts can be done at home.
The child pose is one of the easiest and very effective because it targets your upper body muscles. To do this:
Sit on the ground. Let your toes touch each other, spread your knees apart and sit your butt back onto your feet. Extend your arms above your head as you sit straight up. Hinge at the waist and drop your upper body forward between your legs.
Your forehead should be able to touch the floor as you do that. Spread your shoulders and your butt to drop back. Remain in this position for some minutes, practicing breathing exercises as you relax.
3. Take A Break From Using Your Mobile Phone
An effective text neck pain home remedy is to reduce the amount of time you spend on your phone. Aside from the healing text neck, you will also relieve your eye and brain of stress. Your eyes will surely thank you for the rest from too much screen time.
If you’re addicted to your phone, you can time yourself for discipline. Spend less time on your phone and more with friends and family. Enjoy the weekend with the people you love.
4. Use Ice Packs Or Apply Heat
When you start experiencing text neck pain, you can try an ice pack. Many people get a considerable reduction in neck pain when they use this home remedy. You can also alternate and apply heat to the area.
Use a heating pad, hot compressor, or take a hot shower. Be careful that you do not fall asleep while applying ice or heat. Also, test the heat or cold with your palm first before placing it on your skin.
5. Get Enough Sleep
The right amount of sleep for anyone is seven to eight hours. Not getting enough sleep at night may make your text neck pain worse.
Rest is an essential factor in health and a good home remedy for text neck pain. When you are sleeping, your body uses the opportunity to fight illness, pains, and diseases.
Avoid using too many pillows while sleeping so as not to make the neck pain worse. A quiet place without light will help you sleep faster and better. The deeper you sleep, the better it is for your body to heal most types of pain.
6. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated and drinking enough water helps relieve text neck pain. Dehydration causes stiffness of the neck and neck pain. Staying hydrated also prevents cervical disc degeneration, which is a major cause of text neck pain.
The vertebrae in your spine need water to relieve pressure and maintain alignment. Form the habit of drinking at least a liter of water every day. It will help relieve you of text neck pain and eliminate fatigue.
7. Relaxation And Stretching of Your Neck
After the acute pain phase, it is necessary to relax and stretch the neck muscles. Lying down and applying heat before stretching exercises will assist in soothing sore muscles.
All these will help in increasing circulation in the general area. To self-massage, rub your neck with your fingers for several minutes gently.
Alternatively, you can also apply heat for 10-15 minutes by taking a warm shower. You can also make use of a moist warm towel or heating pad. Engaging in stretching exercises can help to relax the neck muscles and restore range of motion. (2)
8. Go for Acupuncture
One of the most effective but more complex home remedies for text neck pain is acupuncture. For centuries, people in the east have used it for pain relief. Acupuncture is when tiny needles are inserted into the skin—at strategic pressure points.
Acupuncture is a very effective way to deal with body stress. And it is also instrumental in dealing with neck pain. You can’t do acupuncture by yourself. You need to contact a professional to do it for you.
There are many experts out there offering home acupuncture services. They will come to your house and do it for you in the comfort of your home.
9. Try Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is the use of hands-on manipulation for the treatment of pain. The muscles and joints of the body get a boost to provide relief from pain.
Chiropractic care is very effective on the muscles, joints, bones, and connective tissues. It makes it very useful in dealing with neck pain.
Some people find this kind of therapy painful and uncomfortable. But you need to consult your doctor to know if it is the best for you. Like acupuncture, you need to invite an expert who offers home service.
10. Use Special Neck Pillow When Sleeping
A bad sleeping posture will make your text neck pain worse. To stop this scenario, you should invest in a special neck pillow.
Such a pillow helps keep the neck straight and erect while sleeping. It will also be useful for fast recovery with your text neck pain. Get these pillows to put your neck at ease.
Bottom Line
These suggested home remedies will help you avoid text neck pain and keep your neck and spine healthy. It would be best to minimalize the time you spent on the use of mobile devices. It would also help if you maintain proper posture and practice an exercise regimen that’s right for you.
Photo Credits: By Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
