What to do if your neck hurts during confinement

During the pregnancy, pregnant women's eating and living habits will change. In the later stages of pregnancy, because their belly is too big, pregnant women can only sleep on their side. Some pregnant women may suffer from stiff neck due to this sleeping position. For this type of acute injury, you should first apply cold compress to the stiff neck area, and then consider hot compress after the pain is relieved. You can also do appropriate massage to relax and adopt the correct posture when sleeping at night. This article introduces the correct way to deal with stiff neck in pregnant women. Let’s take a look.

What to do if pregnant women have neck pain caused by stiff neck

Generally, stiff neck is an acute injury, which is often accompanied by local pain and stiffness, so only cold compress can be used within 48 hours. You can wrap small ice particles in a towel and apply it to the affected area for 15-20 minutes each time, twice a day. In severe cases, you can apply it once an hour. Pregnant women should consider hot compresses when the pain symptoms are relieved. You can apply wet compress with a hot towel, use an infrared heater, or fill a saline bottle with hot water for dry compress. In addition, you can also try using a hair dryer to blow on the side of your stiff neck for about 5 minutes.

If neither cold nor hot compresses are effective, you can ask your family to help you with massage. The pregnant mother takes a sitting position, exposing her neck and shoulders. A family member stands behind the pregnant woman and presses lightly on the neck with one finger to find the most painful spot. Then use a thumb to start from the top of the neck on that side and go all the way to the shoulder and back, massaging in turn. Massage the most painful spot vigorously until you feel obvious soreness and swelling, which indicates that the force is enough. Repeat this massage 2 to 3 times, then tap the massaged area with a hollow fist, and repeat 2 to 3 times. Repeating the above massage and tapping can quickly relax the spasmodic neck muscles and relieve pain.

Most pregnant women suffer from stiff neck because of their improper sleeping position. Pregnant women should adjust their sleeping position in time, especially choose a good pillow. The so-called good pillow means one with appropriate softness and hardness, appropriate height, and strong breathability. Pregnant women must lie on their left side when sleeping, and not on their back or right side.

What to do if pregnant women have neck pain caused by cervical spondylosis

Pregnant women are likely to suffer from cervical spondylosis if they maintain the same posture for a long time while doing things, especially if they need to lower their heads for a long time. If the neck pain is caused by cervical spondylosis, pregnant mothers can do some exercises to relieve it. These exercises can improve the blood circulation in the patient's neck and loosen the soft tissues of adhesion and spasm:

Posture: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms hanging naturally, body relaxed, eyes looking straight ahead, breathing evenly, you can do this while standing or sitting.

1. Look left and right: Turn your head first to the left and then to the right with a large amplitude until you feel soreness and swelling, 30 times.

2. Nod your head forward and backward: move your head forward and then backward, and stretch your neck as far as possible when bending forward, 30 times.

3. Rotate your shoulders and relax your neck: Place your hands on both sides of your shoulders with your palms facing down. Rotate your arms from back to front 20-30 times, and then from front to back 20-30 times.

4. Shake your head: Rotate your head left, forward, right and backward 5 times, and then rotate it in the opposite direction 5 times.

5. Head and hands resist each other: Cross your hands and place them close to the back of your neck. Push your head and neck hard, and your head and neck will push backwards. Do this 5 times.

6. Hold your hands up to the sky: Raise your hands above your head, palms facing up, and look up at the back of your hands for 5 seconds. Be careful not to exert force on the lumbar spine and do some light movement a few times a day. You can buy a massage chair and massage your lumbar spine twice a day, 20 minutes each time. It will be effective.

Reminder: Pregnant women should pay attention to the maintenance of the cervical spine in daily life, correct bad work and life habits, actively treat the pain caused by serious cervical diseases, insist on doing cervical spine exercises, and pregnant women should not wear high heels to reduce the pressure on the spine.

What to do if pregnant women have neck pain? It is caused by internal heat

The neck pain caused by internal heat in pregnant women is actually a sore throat. At this time, reducing internal heat is the best way to relieve it. Pregnant women should drink more water, with boiled water being the first choice. Drink an appropriate amount of water each time and drink several times a day. Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink. Eat more bitter vegetables. Bitter foods are the natural enemies of "fire". Bitter foods include bitter melon, almonds, bitter herbs, kuding tea, celery, kale, etc., which can clear away heat and reduce fire. You can also drink appropriate amounts of drinks such as chrysanthemum tea, mung bean soup, chrysanthemum tea, etc., which are more effective in clearing away heat.

What to do if a pregnant woman has neck pain caused by tonsillitis

Many pregnant women suffer from neck pain caused by tonsillitis. At this time, pregnant mothers can drink more hot water, talk as little as possible, and let their tonsils rest. Pregnant mothers can also add Houttuynia cordata to boiled water and drink it. Use 10g of Houttuynia cordata to boil water and drink it every day, about 2 bottles of water a day. When pregnant mothers have severe tonsillitis, they should go to the hospital in time and take some anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics under the guidance of a doctor. Do not delay. In daily life care, the diet should be light, and it is not advisable to overeat fatty, greasy, fried foods, and avoid eating too much raw and cold food.