Neck pain due to long working on PC

Dr. Deepa Verma

BPTh/BPT · Physiotherapist · 

How to get rid of neck pain due to long hours of working on computer

Most of us work on computers and laptops regularly for long hours. Our work revolves around computers. And it’s not just adults, even students, teenagers and college-goers use computers regularly to get answers to their queries, solve assignments or for recreation. While computers have made our lives easier, it has made us physically unfit. Neck pain caused due to long hours of working on the computer can be debilitating and sometimes, even difficult to get rid of.

Check out these simple strategies to rid yourself of neck pain.

1. Exercise Those Muscles: Stretching neck muscles, particularly slowly rotating the neck in circular motion can calm those neck muscles. It might seem uncomfortable, but it can help you flex the neck, strength muscles and relieve pain. You can move your neck side to side as well and stretch for five seconds on each side before repeating.

2. Take Over-the-Counter Medications: Neck pain relief medications, which can be directly applied to the affected area can be helpful in reducing pain.

3. Try Hot Steam and Bath: Hot shower can help those muscles in the neck open up. You can take a shower or fill your bathtub with warm water, sit for a while and relieve your neck pain. Use bath salts to improve circulation around the neck.

4. Use the hot-cold method: Make use of hot packs and ice packs alternately to relieve pain. Ice dulls the pain better than the heat, but heat stimulates blood flow around the neck. Use both to get the best results.

5. Step Back: It is important to step away from the computer every now and then. Even if you are at the office. Regularly step away from the computer after every 20 minutes and stretch your muscles, especially the neck. This will help in pain relief and prevent it from getting stuck.

6. Neck Brace: Consult a practitioner about neck-brace if the pain is severe and your neck seems uncomfortable. You can even roll up a bath towel and wrap it around your neck such that the skull rests on the towel. This will help you in neck pain relief.

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