What is causing your neck pain? Find out

We are all guilty of this bad habit. Being glued to our smartphone screens gives us a bad posture, commonly referred to as the ‘text neck‘. It genuinely is a troubling situation and the cause of the nagging pain. When we keep our neck angled uncomfortably for a long period of time, we expose ourselves to premature arthritis, believe experts. This particular posture stresses the muscles around the neck, causing immense pain. Flex your neck muscles from time to time; take a break from work, and from your phone. Do some neck exercises, instead.

Sleeping wrong

Believe it or not, but having a funny posture while sleeping can cause neck and shoulder pain, too. According to Harvard Medical School, this pain can occur when you sleep on your stomach. Since your neck is angled weirdly, you can wake up feeling the tension. You can change your habit by trying to sleep on your back and/or side instead. Also, make sure you are using the right kind of pillow for neck support.

A bad posture is like a death knell when it comes to pain in and around the shoulder region. (Source: Getty/Thinkstock)

Carrying a heavy bag

This is especially true for people who carry shoulder bags to work. When you stuff a bag, and then wear it over one shoulder, you punish the muscles. It tugs at the shoulder and neck muscles, affecting not only your posture, but also causing severe pain. Break away from this habit. Carry bag-packs if possible, and change sides every now and then. Try to travel light.

Smoking

If you are looking for reasons to quit smoking, add this to the list, too. The chemicals in cigarettes are known to harden the arteries, reducing the supply of blood to the bones and the muscles. And if you are already guilty of having a bad posture, smoking can aggravate the pain.

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Stress

Goes without saying, living with constant stress can take a toll on your body. It can change your posture entirely, causing you to slouch and/or pull the shoulders up in an uncomfortable fashion. Breathing exercises can being increasingly aware of the situation can help you. Take a walk from time to time, and keep yourself hydrated.

Finding relief

While changing the aforementioned habits can take time, the easiest thing to do is to get a good massage. Your masseuse can undo the knots and get the blood flowing to the right areas. Additionally, you can also apply a hot compress and do some yoga and stretching exercises. If the pain persists, you can check with your doctor, who may prescribe some pain medications.