Are You Causing Your Neck Pain?
So often, we go through our day following a sequence of habits. Habits are simply behaviours that we repeat without consciously having to think about them. They are often formed through repetition, and we all know that there is a cue, behaviour, reward cycle that forms the foundation of our habits. After all, we wouldn’t repeat a behaviour if there wasn’t some form of reward attached to it.
How Habits Affect Your Neck Health
We also all know that we can have ‘good’ habits and ‘bad’ habits. And when it comes to our health and wellbeing, there are several habits that we may not be aware of but that could be causing your pain in the first place. These ‘bad’ habits need awareness to break the cycle.
Understanding Your Neck and Cervical Spine
When it comes to neck pain, it’s important to understand that our heads are quite heavy! The weight of our skull needs to be supported by over 20 different muscles. The primary aim of these muscles is to ensure the smooth transition of movement to allow the head and our eyes to be orientated in a level plane, about which it can rotate, side-flex, flex or extend to keep our vision and balance working as it should. Not to mention the added tasks of eating, laughing, talking, and listening!
How ‘Bad’ Habits Can Lead to Neck Pain
So, if our daily ‘bad’ habits make these muscles primary function much harder to complete, the body will cleverly adapt and compensate to ensure the job still gets done! But over time, with enough repetition, these compensatory strategies can result in mal-adaptive, or dysfunctional movement patterns. This can then lead to muscle fatigue, tension, and pain.
The neck is also known as the Cervical Spine and is made up of seven bones (vertebrae). Problems arising from the upper cervical spine (from the skull to approximately the 5th vertebrae known as C5) will often encompass the muscles that sit at the base of the skull. There are also muscles that cross over to the jaw area and the nerves that sit in the upper cervical spine called the cranial nerves which can also be involved. We often refer to problems from the top of the neck to C5 as ‘Upper Cervical Presentations’.
Common Upper Cervical Problems.
Cervicogenic Headaches. These headaches arise from the cervical spine but can manifest across the orbital (eye) area, the top or side of the head and the back of the head towards the base of the skull. They can occur on one side or both.
Neck and Facial pain. Pain in the neck that may extend to the face.
TCN sensitisation. There is an area of the brainstem called the trigeminocervical nucleus (TCN). This area of the brain is responsible for processing information received from the face and neck and if it is sensitised you are more likely to suffer from headache symptoms. Research has shown that those who suffer from migraines and tension type headaches have signs of increased brain stem sensitivity. The variety of migraines and headache may not be separate conditions with different causes but different expressions of the same condition; that condition being the sensitised brain stem. The brainstem TCN is like the control centre for receiving information from the face and top 3 levels of your neck. If this control centre is affected and now all the messages it receives are exaggerated (kind of like turning the volume up on an amplifier), then the rest of the brain gets an inaccurate picture of that is going on and subsequently we get overload resulting in headache or other associated symptoms such as dizziness or nausea.
Dizziness and disorientation.
The lower cervical spine refers to anything below C5 to include C7 and the C8 nerves as well. Think of this area as the place where your neck meets your shoulders. Often, we notice tension and stress held across this area.
Common Lower Cervical Problems.
Mechanical (movement related) neck pain & stiffness: This may be due to articular (bone and joint) strain, or myofascial strain (muscle/ligament/tendon overactivity or imbalance or adaptation).
Radiculopathies: This is the term used to describe problems arising from the cervical nerves that exit through small holes in both sides of the neck and travel down your arms. Pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness can manifest as the result of issues with the nerves in your neck.
Upper back (thoracic spine) pain and stiffness: Can be felt as a ‘pulled muscle in the shoulder blade’ but is due to a neck problem.
Spondylotic change: Also known as normal ageing of the spine.
We often see a mixture of neck AND shoulder dysfunction. This is understandable as often the habits that lead to problems with your neck, will also mean that the strength, flexibility, and function of the shoulder girdle is also affected. This can therefore contribute to shoulder problems.
Habits That May Be Causing Your Neck Pain
Prolonged positions: Too much time in one position (usually a flexed position such as leaning forward to read your computer or phone. Or prolonged driving or cycling without regular extension breaks). More than 30-40 minutes in one position, or more than 5 hours a day in a prolonged sitting position.
Hunched shoulders: This can lead to tightness and shortening of the Pec Minor muscle which makes it more difficult to straighten back up and utilise the posterior chain muscles effectively and efficiently.
Prolonged high stress levels: Chronic stress causes delays to healing but also tends to manifest as muscle tension across the jaw, neck, and shoulder muscles for a lot of people. Consider ways to reduce stress in your life as it can be hugely beneficial for reducing pain.
Lack of resistance/strength training exercise: If you are not doing at least 75 minutes in total of resistance training whole-body exercise a week, you are losing 5% muscle mass per year through the ageing process after the age of about 30. So, if the muscles that support your head, neck and upper body are not getting used and strengthened regularly, they will REALLY struggle to perform well and healthily.
Lack of movement and mobility: If you don’t move your neck, shoulders, and upper back throughout their full available range of motion daily, you’ll lose that ability. It really is as simple as ‘move it or lose it’. Joints, discs, nerves, and muscles need motion to stay healthy.
Smoking: Research has shown that apart from the usual known effects on lung and heart health, smoking also causes damage to the disks in our spine, making them less tolerant to load and forces and more likely to dehydrate and age faster. This then causes changes to the natural motion of the neck and spine.
Not getting enough cardiovascular exercise: Lack of CV exercise means your health suffers. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and poor sleep are just a few of the consequences of lack of exercise and all make it harder to maintain healthy bones, strong relaxed and resilient muscles and nervous system and avoid musculoskeletal pain in the neck. Aim to get at least 150 minutes a week of cardiovascular exercise that makes you need to take in deeper breathes, and 2 x 1-minute sessions a week of all-out maximal effort exercise too.
Tips for Better Neck Health
The ‘bad’ habits are often related to lifestyle and overall wellness markers. Here are some reminders regarding overall health and wellbeing and tips to help you maintain a healthy neck and reduce pain:
Motion is lotion: Regular movement helps keep your joints and muscles healthy.
Use it or lose it: Regular exercise is essential for maintaining strength and flexibility.
Nothing worth having comes easy: It takes effort and consistency, but your health is worth it.
Manage Stress: Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga.
Prioritise sleep if possible: Aim for at least 7 hours minimum.
Eat well: A nutrient dense diet that limits ultra-processed food is important.
Share how you’re feeling: Ask for help when you need it.
Take action today
Are you experiencing neck pain or discomfort? Don’t let it hold you back! Book an appointment with us today to receive a personalised assessment and treatment plan. We’re here to help you get back to feeling your best. Follow us on social media for more tips on maintaining a healthy, pain-free lifestyle!
Why not catch up on our previous blog post about Neck Pain here?
"Neck Pain: Global Epidemiology, Trends, and Risk Factors"
This article discusses the global prevalence of neck pain and highlights key risk factors such as stress, anxiety, and poor posture, which align well with your blog's focus on how daily habits contribute to neck pain.
"Risk Factors for Non-Specific Neck Pain in Young Adults"
This systematic review outlines risk factors such as poor posture, prolonged computer use, and stress, reinforcing your content on the importance of addressing daily habits to manage neck pain.
Global, regional, and national burden of neck pain, 1990–2020, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
Wu, Ai-Min et al.
The Lancet Rheumatology, Volume 6, Issue 3, e142 - e155