Neck Pain Relief Exercises That You Can Do at Home

The neck is an extremely important and pretty amazing part of your body. It handles the tough job of holding up the weight of your head all day long. Your neck is made up of bones called vertebrae that extend from right from the skull to the upper torso. Cervical discs absorb shock between the bones. The bones, ligaments, and muscles of your neck support your head and allow movement.

Neck pain or cervicalgia is experienced by many people occasionally. Most of the time, it is not a serious condition and can be relieved within a few days. There are many simple neck pain relief exercises that you can do to ease your neck pain. Combining these exercises with easy home remedies can further alleviate your neck pain.

In this article, you can learn five of the most effective neck pain relief exercises that you can do at home. But before that, let’s look at some of the most common causes of neck pain.

Causes of Neck Pain

1. Muscle Tension and Strain

Muscle tension and strain are usually caused by activities such as poor posture and sleeping with your neck in a bad position. These behaviors result in neck pain as they put your muscles in unnatural positions and lead to unnecessary stress. Working at a desk for too long or any sudden movements during exercise can also result in neck pain and also pain in various other parts of your body.

2. Injury

Your neck is particularly vulnerable to injury. Especially so in situations like falls, car accidents, and even sports. These situations lead to neck pain because they push the neck, along with all the muscles and ligaments, to move outside the normal range they generally operate in.

If the neck bones or cervical vertebrae are fractured, the spinal cord may also suffer damage. Neck pain or injury due to the sudden jerking of the head is called whiplash

3. Worn Joints

Like with other joints in your body, the neck joints tend to wear down with age. Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage or cushions between your bones to deteriorate. Your body then forms bone spurs that affect the motion of the joint and result in neck pain. This is also called Spondylosis.

4. Meningitis

Meningitis is the inflammation of the thin tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. People suffering from meningitis suffer from severe neck pain accompanied by fever and headache. Meningitis can also be fatal and any sign of the symptoms should immediately be paid attention to.

Now that you’ve read about some of the common causes of neck pain, let’s take a look at some effective neck pain relief exercises that you can do at home to ease the pain.

Effective Neck Pain Relief Exercises

1. Neck Side Bend and Rotation

Starting Position

Stand or sit facing forward with your neck and spine upright.

Exercise Procedure

Begin by tilting your neck to the right. After about ten seconds, slowly roll your head in a counterclockwise direction. Pause for ten seconds when you reach your left shoulder. Complete the rotation by ending where you started. Repeat these steps, rolling in a clockwise direction. Repeat this sequence two to three times.

2. Shoulder Roll

Starting Position

Stand straight with your spine upright and arms down by your sides.

Exercise Procedure

Roll your shoulders backward in a smooth, even, circular motion, completing five rotations. Then repeat the same movement, but this time in the forward direction. Repeat this sequence two to three times.

3. Standing Awtuvi Exercise

Starting Position

Stand with your back to the wall. Your arms and your entire back should be fully upright and touching the wall, with your arms forming the letter “A”. Pull your shoulder blades back and lower them. Stand against the wall with your shoulders, elbows, and wrists firmly pressed back into it.

Exercise Procedure

Move your arms through various positions to form different letters. Bend your elbows and move them up to chest level so that your body resembles the letter ‘’W’’. Stretch your arms out horizontally at the level of your shoulders to form a ‘’T’’. Bend your elbows ninety degrees and raise them to shoulder level to a form akin to the letter “U”. Straighten your elbows and raise your arms diagonally, at a forty-five degree angle above your head to form a “V”. Stand with your arms raised together directly above your head to form the letter “I”.

Repeat the sequence several times and try to let each position flow into the next.

4. Prone Awtuvi Exercise

Starting Position

Lie down on your stomach. Place your arms on your sides with your elbows in a slightly bent position. 

Exercise Procedure

Perform the exercise in the same manner as the standing position, but this time in the prone position, forming the letters on the ground. 

Repeat the sequence several times.

5. Quadruped T-Spine Rotation

Starting Position

Get down on the ground, supporting yourself with your hands and knees. Place your hands shoulder width apart with your elbows slightly bent. Keep your knees hip width apart. Your body should be parallel to the floor. Put one hand behind your head.

Exercise Procedure

Open up your upper body, facing the same side as the hand behind your head. Then lower that bent elbow towards the other elbow. Repeat the movement several times, then switch sides. Make sure to keep your hips still and square to the ground the entire time to maximize the effectiveness of the exercise. 

If you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk or in front of a computer screen like most of us do these days, you are bound to experience neck pain at some point or the other. The above detailed neck pain relief exercises are a great way to relieve your neck pain. By doing these exercises regularly, you can improve your overall neck mobility greatly and prevent long term damage to one of the most important parts of your body.