Exercises for neck pain are a must. You are sitting in the office and the pain starts. It starts at the base and moves up and it feels like someone has their hands around your neck, squeezing. You can feel the tension even if the boss isn’t driving you mad today. So, what in the world can you do to ease this pain? There are several options that I use that really seem to help improve my overall level of pain and have, over time, helped reduce the amount of pain I’m in, in these situations.

I’ll share these exercises for neck pain with you, but do take the time to find out what is wrong with your neck if it continues to hurt of you are suffering from extreme pain.

One of the first exercises to do is easily done and no one will know. Sit in your chair upright, back straight. Tilt your head back slowly as far as you can, so you are looking up. Hold this position for about a minute and return to a normal position. Repeat. Do the same thing, but this time side by side. You do not want to go too far that your ear touches your shoulder, though.

Another type of exercise that works is a resistance. You can do this from the side, top of the head or the back. Simply hold one hand against that position of your head, such as the side. Then, try to touch your shoulder with your ear while you hand restrains your head from movement. Hold for about ten seconds and release. Repeat this again and then try it from the back and front, too.

When doing any of these exercises for neck pain, never force your neck to bend. If moving it hurts more so, don’t force the issue. It is important to have good posture, too, so try to keep your back straight throughout. You should try to do these exercises three times a week.

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So, what causes of neck pain are most common? One of the most common reasons for this pain is from stress or strain on the muscles in the region. This can be caused by virtually any activity done during the day. You may be bent over a workstation or sitting at your desk all day. Poor positioning of a computer monitor can even cause this type of pain.

In addition to this, another cause that is relatively common is traumatic incidents. If you are involved in a car accident or a fall, this can cause fractures in the vertebrae. You may also feel pain due to whiplash, broken blood vessels in the area and if the injury is significant enough, it can cause paralysis.

Yet another of the causes of neck pain is a herniated disc, found in the spinal column. Fibromyalgia is a disease that also can cause pain in the neck region. Arthritis in the neck region can also cause pain here. A least common cause is meningitis, but does offer significant stiffness in the neck.

If you are experiencing any of these, you will want to work with your doctor or personal trainer to improve them. Most of these causes are not serious and can improve through standard treatment options.

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Some of the neck exercises that you can do will improve the function of the neck a great deal. Many are easy to do. For example, one that can improvement many of the muscles in the neck region is this one. Align your head normally, even with your shoulders. Then, extend it outward, pushing forward. Hold for five seconds and return to the standard position. Do the same thing again, but this time, push backward.

Another exercise that is helpful is to sit in a chair and sit straight up. Without moving your shoulders, try to put your ear onto your shoulder. Don’t force it, but don’t move your shoulder to touch the ear. Hold this position (as far as you can go towards that direction) for about five to ten seconds. Release and repeat with the other shoulder.

Rotating the head in a full circle around can also be helpful. This is especially helpful for those that need to stretch out these muscles prior to any type of other exercise. If you have chronic neck pain, try to do this exercise each morning, to help the muscles to be more pliable and relaxed throughout the day.

There is no limit to the amount of neck exercises you do, but you do have to be cautious of your neck pain. Muscle pains are common and these can be overcome with exercises. On the other hand, you may struggle or worsen the condition if you have an injury to the spinal column.

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