Waking up with a stiff, painful neck can start your day off on the wrong foot.  It doesn't seem that something as innocent as getting a full night of sleep can set off neck pain that can cause a restriction in range of motion.  Not being able to turn your head left and right is not just uncomfortable, it can prevent you from safely being able to do normal, daily tasks like driving a car or caring for your family.

There are a few things you can do to try and reduce the possibility of waking up with neck pain:

• Avoid sleeping on your stomach.  Sleeping on your stomach is very hard on your spine because your head is turned maximally to the side for hours at a time.  This can strain muscles, ligaments, and tendons, and even compromise normal blood flow between the brain and body.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and neck pain, download our free e-book by clicking the image below.

• Choose a pillow that conforms to the shape of your neck.  If you sleep on your back, you can try a pillow that has a neck support and an indentation for the head to rest in.  If you're a side sleeper, keep your spine aligned by using a pillow that keeps your head and neck level.
• If your mattress is old, consider replacing it.  While it may not be feasible to flip your mattress, try to remember to rotate it every 6 months to keep wear more even.

Proper Spinal Care For Neck Pain Sufferers

Your neck is made up of the 7 vertebrae of your cervical spine along with the many muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels, and nerves that control its function.  The most unique part of the neck is the upper cervical spine, which consists of the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae.  These two vertebrae form the foundation that the head sits on top of and are responsible for the majority of the head's range of motion.

If the atlas or axis misalign, this is a very specific problem that requires a very specific approach to correcting it.  Upper cervical chiropractic care focuses exclusively on this special area of the neck.  If these vertebrae are misaligned even slightly, it can affect the way the rest of the neck feels and functions.  If you wake up with a stiff neck or suffer from chronic neck pain or stiffness, then it's likely that there is some compromise in your upper cervical alignment.  Getting it checked and corrected can bring lasting, natural relief.

References:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/say-good-night-to-neck-pain

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Hall, call our Brentwood office at 615-488-7891 or just click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com