Neck pain caused by poor sleep habits can be highly disruptive to your everyday life. It can make anything from sudden movements to simply turning your head difficult or painful. The neck area is made up of complex tissue, including vertebrae, nerves, muscles, tendons and ligaments. If any of these things get strained or sprained due to poor sleep hygiene, it can cause significant pain in the neck that may extend to other parts of the body.
Physical therapy can help you adjust your neck alignment, regain mobility and decrease neck pain. Here are a few ways your physical therapist can help you address your neck pain, plus how to prevent neck pain in the future.
4 PT treatments to relieve neck pain from sleeping
There are several ways that physical therapy can help restore your neck mobility and decrease pain, both in the PT clinic and at home. Your physical therapist can evaluate your neck pain and then make a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Your plan may include these four treatments:
Manual therapy — Manual therapy is a noninvasive, hands-on approach to physical therapy that can help with neck pain. Your physical therapist will use their hands to manually stretch and relax the tissue in and around the neck and shoulder area. The goal of this treatment is to improve mobility and decrease pain through gentle movements.
Targeted exercises —Your physical therapist may coach you on specific exercises to do during your appointments. Stretching and strengthening exercises can treat the affected area of your neck, and your physical therapist can show you how to perform these exercises with proper posture. When you strengthen the muscles in and around your neck, you can help prevent future pain problems.
Gentle stretching — While your physical therapist will probably have you do exercises during your appointment, there may also be at-home exercises you can do as well. These stretches and exercises can supplement your physical therapy appointments and may help you recover faster. Your physical therapist may show you specific stretching exercises that can be done safely at home.
Ice and heat — If your neck feels stiff or sore, your physical therapist may also recommend ice or heat as another at-home treatment. Ice can help with swelling and inflammation, while heat may reduce stiffness, tightness and pain. Ice is recommended by the Mayo Clinic at the onset of a new neck injury, while heat may help more with long-term pain. Talk to your physical therapist about how long and how often to use either ice or heat for your neck pain.
If you’re experiencing sudden or severe neck pain, talk to a doctor or another health care professional immediately to rule out serious injuries to the neck or spine.
How to prevent neck pain while sleeping
While physical therapy can help treat neck pain from sleeping, improving your sleep hygiene may prevent that pain from returning. Here are a couple of ways you can improve your sleep hygiene to support your neck and prevent future issues:
Proper sleep position — If you have neck or back pain, you may have to try a few different positions to find the most comfortable one. Lying on your back may be one of the best positions to sleep in, since it supports your body’s natural alignment. Sleeping on your side may also work for you, especially if you use a pillow between your knees to keep your hips aligned. Stomach sleeping isn’t recommended in most cases, as it can put extra pressure on the spine area, which may cause more neck pain.
Supportive bedding — Getting the right pillow and mattress can make a world of difference for your neck pain. A memory foam or feather pillow can provide good support during sleep. These types of pillows conform to the shape of your head and neck, which can help keep your spine straight and in alignment during sleep. Your mattress is also an important factor in sleep hygiene. While a pillow supports your head and neck, a mattress supports the rest of your spine. If your bedding supports your body properly, you may be less likely to end up in a sleeping position that hurts your neck.
Prevention and treatment are both important factors in improving your sleep and overall neck health. If you're experiencing neck pain from sleeping, we’re here to help.
At KC Rehab, we offer a wide range of physical therapy treatments that can help you decrease neck pain and improve mobility. Our team of experts is dedicated to helping people improve their lives through effective and evidence-based physical therapy techniques. If you’re ready to address your neck pain, contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
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