Neck pain on waking: what to do? (tips)

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A neck pain can have different origins. If it occurs on waking, it means above all that it is linked to bad posture during the night or to a lack of bedding. You have neck pain when waking up in the morning ? You will find out what to do to relieve yourself in this article.

Definition and anatomy

Neck pain also called neck pain is defined by cervical spine pain. It is the consequence of a prolonged poor posture, disease or trauma.

We will start with the basics: a few notions ofanatomy on the cervical spine.

La cervical spine guarantees the functioning of head movements. It consists of 7 vertebrae (C1 to C7) which are assembled thanks to ligaments. It corresponds to the first 7 bones of the spine and constitutes the neck (located between the head and the thorax). This part of the spine has several articular surfaces and is covered by the musculature of the neck. It is for this reason that it is mobile.

THEatlas (C1) and theaxis (C2) are the atypical vertebrae of the cervical. The atlas acts as a pivot, the axis provides rotation and the other cervical vertebrae support the weight of the head.

What are the symptoms of neck pain?

The main symptom ofneck pain and the blockage of head movements. If a nerve root is affected at the cervical level, it can cause upper limb paresthesias (such as ants in hand).

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These symptoms are sometimes accompanied by headaches, dizziness or contractures of the neck muscles.

Why does neck pain appear when you wake up?

La neck pain manifests itself in different ways. It sometimes arises in the morning when waking up. The causes of this morning pain are multiple and can be common from one person to another.

Inactivity

La neck pain may be the consequence of a morning stiffness. In the long term, stiffness in the neck progresses to neck pain.

A long period of inactivity promotes the onset of stiffness. When we stay too long without moving, the joints become less stressed, and sometimes the muscles, tendons and ligaments remain in a bad position.

Inflammation related to the cervical

The common causes of neck pain are inflammations of one or more joints.

It may be the presence of arthritis located at the level of the cervical spine such as the ankylosing spondylitis and cervical osteoarthritis.

A bad pillow

A good pillow should support natural body alignment and guides the position of the head, neck and spine. It relieves the muscles, especially those which are at the level of the cervical.

Pillows that are too soft and too hard are catastrophic for the neck. The pillow that is too soft will not perfectly support the cervical spine and the too hard pillow prevents muscle relaxation.

Un bad pillow increases pain at neck level. It incites a bad position of the cervical spine. The latter then supports additional pressure and tension, hence the stiffness of the neck.

Bad positions during sleep

The positions of the body at bedtime have a lot of influence on the muscles and the spine.

Some sleeping positions promote neck pain. For example, it is not recommended that you lie on your stomach. This position forces the neck to turn up to 90˚ so that you can breathe and this causes tension in the cervical area.

Morning neck pain: what treatments?

Currently, there are many treatments available to relieve neck pain. Each type of neck pain has a specific treatment and this is also valid for neck pain on waking.

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Before embarking on treatments, make sure that your neck pain is indeed related to sleep.

Clarify the diagnosis of neck pain on waking

So as not to confuse the neck pain on waking to that of classic neck pain, a specialist should be consulted. It helps you clarify the diagnosis. It consists of eliminating inflammatory damage in the cervical area.

Use heat treatment

Neck pain can be treated with heat. She relieves cervical tension and helps the muscles to relax. It helps to restore the flexibility of the tissues in the neck.

To do this, take a hot water bottle, wrap it in a cloth and place it on the affected part for 15 minutes. Repeat the procedure two to three times a day.

A good bath with hot water is also effective accompanied by a small massage at the level of the neck.

Do morning exercises

For recover faster from morning neck pain, a morning exercise routine should be established.

The exercises of muscle building Cervicals such as neck sheathing, whether static or dynamic, are more effective. L'stretching is also essential especially that of the muscles of the cervical and the back.

Use drug treatments

Le drug treatment for neck pain is to relieve pain. Before taking this or that medicine, it is always better to consult a doctor.

When the pain is less intense, the doctor usually prescribes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and paracetamol. On the other hand, when it becomes important, the doctor resorts to analgesics stronger. He also recommends muscle relaxants to relieve muscle contractures in the cervical region.

Adjust your pillow and mattress if needed

Adjusting the pillow and mattress helps prevent and relieve neck pain, if the problem is with these materials.

In this case, use a pillow suitable for your morphology: neither too bulky nor too thin. You can also buy a orthopedic pillow. This type of pillow is specially designed to support the neck.

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For the mattress, prefer the models foam-based. They are more suitable for people who suffer from neck pain.

Adopt an optimal sleeping position

To avoid and to relieve neck pain upon waking, you have to learn to sleep with the right position.

Specialists further suggest the posture on the back. It maintains the correct alignment of the neck in relation to the spine and helps relieve curvature in the cervical regions.

You can also rest with the position on the side, but in this position, it is necessary to use a pillow adapted to our morphology.

Resources

References

https://www.chuv.ch/fr/chuv-home/patients-et-familles/specialistes-medicales/atlas-medical-thematiques/tete-et-cou/anatomie-de-la-colonne-cervicale

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.medisite.fr/douleur-musculaire-cervicalgie-symptômes-complications-traitements.5567614.714192.html%3fv=amp

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