How To Use A Towel For Neck Pain

How To Use A Towel For Neck Pain

How To Use A Towel For Neck Pain

Train Yourself To Sleep On Your Back

Neck Pain? Using a Towel to Decrease Neck Pain!

One easy way of training yourself into back sleeping is by using a rolled-up towel under your neck.

A towel instead of a pillow eliminates the possibility of your face pressing against dry cotton overnight. It also flattens out any chest wrinkles that can form when you sleep on your side.

For people with natural curly hair or sensitive strands, the harsh fabric of the towel should have minimal contact with your hair since its only under your neck. If youre concerned, try sleeping with a head wrap, which also prevents bedhead.

But the real benefit of sleeping with a rolled-up towel under your neck? Decreased risk of neck pain. This makeshift pillow really supports your neck as you shift throughout the night. The tighter you roll it, the harder itll be, mimicking the relaxing effects of a foam roller without all the pain.

Pro hack: If your head just wont stay still on the towel , opt for a silk or copper pillow case. You can find them online for $20 to $40.

Manage Your Neck Pain With A Cervical Roll

A cervical roll is a small pillow that is placed inside your pillowcase to help support your neck while you sleep. The roll helps to keep your neck in a favorable position as you lie on your back or your side.

If you have neck pain or arm pain coming from your neck , then you understand how the pain can limit your ability to turn your head, look up or down, or complete basic functional tasks like washing your hair or reading a book.

There are many causes of neck pain, but sometimes the pain seems to come on suddenly with no warning. You may even wake up in the morning with neck pain after a seemingly restful night’s sleep.

If you develop a sudden onset of acute neck pain, there are a few things you should do right away. Don’t panic, start some gentle range of motion neck exercises, and maintain proper posture when sitting.

Maintaining proper posture is essential to managing your neck pain. Whether you are sitting, standing, or lying down, you must keep your neck and spine in the proper posture while your condition is healing.

Ways To Relieve Back Pain In Ergonomic Chairs Using A Towel

By | Submitted On May 21, 2010

It is very easy to sit in a chair, but to sit in a chair for a long time with comfort is difficult.

If you are sitting at a computer all day, then I would suggest try bringing a small or medium sized towel to your work area. You will be amazed at how much this piece of equipment will aid your comfort level throughout the day.

The beauty about a towel is that it can be changed to whatever size that you need. If you then roll up the towel and place a few rubber bands around it, the towel will remain in a rolled up state.

Now you can try various ways to aid your comfort level:

1. Place the towel just behind your pelvic bones, at the back of the chair. This will help you to sit firmly on your pelvic bones and allow your back to lean back, becoming more erect as you sit on your pelvic bones.

2. A rolled-up towel will help any intense pain in the back by positioning the towel just below the painful area. This will try to support the pain location site, in order to relieve the problem.

3. A rolled-up towel that is placed between your legs will help to aid relaxation in your legs from tension that can build up throughout the day. Your legs will lean against the towel and feel more comfortable resting. .

4. Your feet will enjoy the pleasure of a rolled up top, by placing your stocking feet on the towel. Your feet can then have fun rolling the towel around as you work. This movement in the feet will help to move your pelvic bones for prolonged sitting.

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Sleeping On Your Back

Perhaps the best sleeping position for the back and neck is sleeping on your back with a pillow supporting your head and neck, and another light pillow under your knees. It is best to seek the advice of an orthopedic specialist or physical therapist to determine the best pillow height and thickness for you.

Placing a pillow under or between the knees not only relieves pressure from the back but also maintains the normal curvature of the spine. Proper neck and back support and normal spinal alignment are the most important factors to having a restorative and uninterrupted sleep and a pain-free morning.

Put It Inside Your Pillowcase

Without sufficient support, too much stress can be placed on discs and soft tissues in your cervical spine when you sleep. A rolled towel can maintain your head-neck alignment while also providing sufficient support. The way to use a rolled towel in this situation is to place it inside your pillowcase before you turn in for the night. Keep the following tips in mind as you do this: If youre a back sleeper, put the rolled towel underneath your neck as you rest on your pillow If youre a side sleeper, place the towel so it occupies the empty space between your neck and the pillow Avoid using a larger towel, since this will throw off your necks alignment and possibly contribute to more neck painIf youre going to use a rolled towel in your pillowcase, make sure you have a pillow thats the right height for your neck, or the rolled towel could do more harm than good. Ideally, use a supportive pillow that doesnt cause your head to excessively tilt up or down. You may also have to experiment with different towel sizes and thicknesses until you find one that works well with the type of pillow you have.

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Your Step By Step Instructions

Here are the step by step instructions as promised:

Using The Tennis Balls

1. Put two tennis balls in an old clean sock. Tie a knot in it so the balls cant move around, roll out or move too far apart. You need them as close together as possible.

2. Lie down on a carpeted floor if possible. A yoga mat or folded blanket will also suffice. Your bed will be too soft to use. If you have shiatsu mat which is thick cotton, that would be perfect.

3. Place the two balls in the sock under your upper back and let your spine rest in the gap between the balls. Just above the shoulder blades is a nice spot.

4. Become aware of your breath. When you exhale imagine your body relaxing over the balls. Feel your back sink down and relax towards the floor. Keep breathing and being aware of your breath. Once this area feels relaxed …

5. Move to the next spot a little lower down the back.

6. Move the balls down through the rib cage area until each area feels relaxed.

7. Then go back up to your neck. Place the balls under your neck with the spine resting between the balls.

Rest and if it feels right you can roll up and down on the tennis balls by either raising your knees and rocking, or just press your heels on the ground and point and flex your toes.

Let the movement from your ankles move your whole body.

Using The Towel – Rolled

Another one of my regular exercises is to lie down on the floor with a rolled up towel under my neck to start.

Using The Towel – Folded

Pulled Neck Muscle Same As A Neck Strain

A pulled neck muscle is a common term for a simple neck strain, involving the muscles and tendons that support and move the neck and head. There are four primary reasons the cervical spine is so susceptible to develop a strained or pulled muscle in neck:

• The bones of the neck are the smallest of the spine, offering the least stability and support.
• The muscles of the neck are long and thin, and do not have the bulk found in other areas of the spine making them proportionately weaker than they need to be to hold the head up.
• The weight of the head sitting at the top of spine presents a mechanical disadvantage. With this heavy weight at the top of the thin neck, it takes a lot of effort to hold the head up during the course of the day and nearly impossible during a violent impact.
• The neck is a structure designed to offer flexibility that allows the head to turn rapidly through a large range of motion. But this flexibility adds to the vulnerability of the neck to injury and the ease of misalignment during trauma. A small amount of spinal misalignment can cause a pinched nerve in the neck that can cause pain, numbness, tingling and other health problems. This is why the neck can be strained while simply staying in an awkward posture for a prolonged time.

A neck strain or pulled muscle in neck tissue by definition is usually not a serious injury, even though it can cause a great amount of neck pain.

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Tie A Knot In The Rope

Tie a regular overhand knot in the rope like you were going to tie your shoes, then tie one more on top of that but don’t pull the tail of one of the pieces of rope all the way through. This is called tying a knot on a “bite” of rope. You can pull on the tail of the bite and the knot will come out, that way you won’t have to fumble around trying to get it off. Once the knot is tied, it’s done!I could barely move my head after I tied mine on, which was great since just about any movement made me wince in pain. This kind of head immobilization would be really good for stabilizing victims of neck injuries in a pinch or even just for dozing off on the airplane without having to worry about your head flopping onto your neighbors shoulder.

Place It Behind Your Lower Back

10 Ways to Use a Towel to Help Stop Neck Pain-Stretches & Exercises

As mentioned above, you might have heard this technique suggested for people with lower back pain. However, it can also be good for your neck. A rolled towel is used for this purpose by placing it at the point where your lower spine curves the most . Its a technique that can be beneficial when youre: Sitting at work for long periods Driving long distances or sitting in a car for lengthy rides Getting comfy in your favorite chair or relaxing on the couchUsing a rolled towel behind your lower back helps your neck by filling the space created when you sit. This keeps your lower spine from excessively rounding, which discourages forward head posture. In turn, this keeps the muscles that support your neck and head from becoming tired or overly stressed. You can also experiment with different towel sizes and thicknesses to find the right amount of spinal support as you sit.Most neck pain is related to soft tissue injuries or overstressed muscles affected by poor posture or spinal misalignment, so a rolled towel can be a simple and effective remedy. If youre not experiencing noticeable relief, see what your doctor or Beverly Hills spine surgeon has to say.

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How Heating Pads Work

Applying a heating pad can help ease pain in joints, muscles, and soft tissues. This is a form of heat therapy, or thermotherapy.

Heat increases the blood flow to the affected area, relaxing the muscles and helping to reduce stiffness in the joints.

Thermotherapy can help ease:

• pain following an injury
• arthritis pain

During the healing process, increased blood circulation brings more oxygen to the injured cells. Oxygen accelerates the healing of tissues.

Heating pads are a popular method of thermotherapy. A hot bath or shower may also help.

Do not use heat therapy in the immediate aftermath of an injury. This is the inflammatory phase of healing, and heat could cause more swelling and tissue injury. Immediately after an injury, a cold compress can help reduce swelling.

Young children and elderly adults should not use heating pads.

Also, people with heat sensitivity issues should not use any form of thermotherapy. This includes people with neuropathy that results from diabetes or other conditions. They may not be able to feel a burn right away.

Women who are pregnant should not apply heating pads to the abdomen or pelvic area. They should also avoid hot tubs and bathing or showering in very hot water.

How To Use: Cervical Dorsal Fulcrum Traction Wedge

Instructions:

• Place the Cervical Dorsal Fulcrum on the treatment table, floor or firm surface.
• The Dorsal Fulcrum Wedge should be placed with the vertical, non sloped side pressed firmly against your shoulders, as low as you can place it on your lower neck/upper back.
• Lay your neck on the placement divot of the device, your face should be parallel to the ceiling. Your neck muscles should be relaxed and your chin should not be tucked in any way.
• Lie down for no more than a few minutes if severe, or less if you cannot find a pain free position.
• Increase time on the second day and then gradually add time the following days for a maximum of 10-15 minutes per session.
• When finished using the Cervical Dorsal Fulcrum, do not abruptly raise your head up from the device, gently cradle your head and roll off to the side. Sit up once you are comfortable.
• A removable, interconnecting dense foam layer provides adequate sizing for Adults, Young Adults, Teenagers or Children/Pediatric use. Apart of our Interconnecting layer, Smart Orthotics line.

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  How To Use: Neck Bed Traction Pillow

  Instructions:

• Place the Neck Bed, Cervical Traction Pillow on the treatment table, floor or firm surface.
• Lie down so the occiput are in contact with the occipital release ridge of the device
• Lie for no more than a few minutes if severe or less if you cannot find pain free positions.
• Increase time on the second day and then add movement of the head from side to side in an effort to target trigger points and loosen tightened muscles.
• You may choose to move in rotation, flexion/extension, and side bending in order to find the most comfortable, pain free and effective positions.

• Sleeping On Your Side

  

  If you tend to wake up with back pain, take pressure off your back by sleeping on your side. The best way to keep your body in position for side-sleeping is with your knees bent and a light pillow placed in between your legs so your knees do not rub against each other.

  To support sleeping on your side, use a full-length body pillow, or have pillows both between your legs and in front of your chest to support your arm so it doesnt hang awkwardly and cause shoulder pain. You may also want to position another pillow behind your back to help keep you in place. By adding pillows, you are maintaining the backs natural curve, preventing lumbar rotation, and reducing the chances of waking up with back pain.

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  Proper Posture To Maintain Cervical Lordosis

  When you sit in a chair, you can easily maintain the proper posture of your neck by using a small lumbar roll to support your low back. When your low back is in the correct position and supported by a small lumbar pillow, your neck will naturally be in the proper position with a forward curve in it.

  When you are lying down, you must also maintain your cervical lordosis to keep your neck in the optimum position. This can be accomplished by using a cervical roll.

  How Is Epsom Salt Used

  Athletes use Epsom salt as a soaking aid for muscle recovery, minor sprains, and bruises, or overall relaxation. Its mixed with warm water to dissolve and make a soaking solution.

  The most common way to use it is by soaking in an Epsom salt bath, but you can also use Epsom salt to make a compress to soothe muscle knots in specific areas.

  If you experience any pain in your neck and shoulders, give this Epsom salt compress and upper body stretch a try!

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  Sleeping With A Neck Support

  If neck pain is your issue, then it may be due to lack of neck support at night while you sleep. One way to address this is to place a rolled-up hand towel under your neck. You may also consider using a malleable pillow that allows your head to sink in while also providing support under your neck area.

  Using A Cervical Roll During Sleep

  Towel Roll for a Neck Pillow- Great for Neck Pain and A Stiff neck

  Using a cervical roll to maintain neck alignment while sleeping is easy. Simply place your cervical roll in your pillowcase and move it to one end of your pillow. The roll should run the full length of your pillow.

  Place your pillow on your bed with the cervical roll inside the case. The cervical roll should be in a place so that when you place your head on your pillow, the roll supports your neck.

  When you are lying on your back, you should feel the cervical roll gently pressing up against the back of your neck and supporting it. If you roll to one side or the other, the cervical roll should still support your neck and fill in the area between your head and shoulder.

  It is not recommended you sleep on your stomach if you are suffering from neck pain.

  When you first use your cervical roll, you may notice some discomfort as you get accustomed to the roll. After a few nights, you should notice that the roll provides support to your neck with no added discomfort.

  If your neck pain persists or worsens over time or is accompanied by arm weakness or numbness or tingling, you should visit your healthcare provider right away to make sure you get the proper treatment. Your healthcare provider may refer you to a physical therapist to help you manage your symptoms. Your PT can prescribe the correct exercises for you, can help you maintain proper posture, or may offer you other treatments, such as cervical traction, to help treat your pain.

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