Neck and shoulder pain – relieve the burden on your shoulders (continued)

The key to good posture is maintaining body balance, emphasizes Scott Duncan, a massage therapist and author of "Sitting Posture at Work."

He said the three most common bad sitting habits to avoid are constantly tilting and twisting the body forward, backward, and to the side; constantly pressing the chin against the chest and looking down; and sitting with the buttocks on the edge of the chair for a long time with the head down and shoulders drooping.

If you work with a computer, make sure you can see the monitor at eye level.

"A monitor that's too high is a disaster for your neck and shoulders," says Chris Grant, PhD, a researcher at the University of Michigan's Center for Human Engineering in Anna-Arbor.

This statement is especially true for you if you wear glasses.

**Get some support** Dr. Grant says one of the most effective ways to prevent neck and shoulder problems is to sit in a chair that properly supports your back and neck.

An ideal chair should provide firm but not rigid support for your back, allowing you to sit comfortably with your head and shoulders balanced.

Some chairs have components that support the area below the back.

Edelson says that if your chair doesn't have this part, you can buy a cylindrical support at a pharmacy, or simply roll up a towel and tuck it into your lower back.

Since the body is unwilling to be forced to stay in one position all day, Dr. Grant recommends sitting in an adjustable chair so that you can easily change its height as well as the angle of the headrest and seat.

"It's important to have an office chair that allows people to change positions," she said. "In fact, some experts believe that the most important thing about chairs designed for computer workspaces is that they can move freely."

Don't hunch over in your chair and hold the phone receiver between your shoulder and ear; that's another ticket to the "neck pain highway."

Dr. Pascalley suggests getting yourself a headset or preferably two, "one for home and one for the office."

> **Avoid drafts** Cold air blowing from air conditioning vents or open car windows can cause neck muscles to contract.

This can strain the neck muscles, eventually leading to pain.

Taking breaks is an important neck savior for anyone who works in a fixed position for long periods of time.

Dr. Duncan suggests scheduling several "short breaks" each day, one while standing and one while sitting.

Take some time to stretch your arms and legs, take some deep breaths, move your toes and fingers, expand your chest, look up, down, left, and right, and-he swears it helps-smile.

Maintaining the correct sleeping posture also matters.

Dr. Duncan recommends using a thin pillow that allows your neck to be parallel to the bed.

He said the best sleeping position is lying on your back or side.

Don't put your arms above your head while sleeping-doing so will put strain on your shoulders.

**Fighting Pain**

If you already suffer from neck pain or shoulder pain caused by neck pain, then you will experience the mystery of real medical treatment.

A study assisted by Dr. Einstein found that doctors performed surgery for neck pain for very different reasons and at very different frequencies.

He said this means how little we know about treating neck pain.

"This is a common disease, but there hasn't been much scientific research on it."

He said that for this reason, unless a doctor finds nerve damage, a broken disc, or some similar neurological condition, you'd better end up with limited medical intervention.

Here are some contributions you can make to your treatment.

Dr. White advises that when neck pain first occurs, one should not rush to take aspirin or ibuprofen.

Take the medication according to the instructions on the bottle-most likely 3 to 4 times a day, two tablets each time.

If the pain persists for more than a few weeks, see a doctor as soon as possible.

> **Cooling or heating** Many doctors recommend using warm, moist heat or ice to treat neck and shoulder pain.

Unfortunately, doctors disagree on which method is most effective.

Dr. Kunkel took a compromise approach.

"I tell patients to try both methods and stick with the one they prefer," he said.

For heat therapy, Dr. Kunkel recommends taking a hot bath or buying a heat pack at a pharmacy.

He said these should be done 15 to 20 minutes before any neck or shoulder exercises.

For those taking the freezing route (which may be the best approach if muscles are swollen), Dr. Edelson recommends placing an ice pack or a bag filled with frozen beans or corn on the neck for 10–15 minutes, repeating this several times a day.

**Looking for clues** Think about your health history before you seek medical help.

Dr. Duncan says that neck problems may be caused by an injury you sustained years ago.

Any clues you provide to your doctor or treatment specialist can help determine the cause of your illness and find the most effective treatment.