Can Sciatica Resolve on Its Own?
The sharp shooting pain can make sitting and standing excruciating — finding a comfortable position seems impossible. Can sciatica resolve on its own? Yes it can. Find out how you can get better fast here.
Is Working From Home a Pain in Your Neck?
Working from home has a lot of perks. Who wouldn’t love earning a living sitting on the couch in their pajamas instead of regularly commuting to an office?
While working from home seems perfect in many ways, your body may say otherwise. Does your neck ache after a marathon session with your laptop? Are you experiencing more headaches and tightness in your neck since you’ve been working from home? The couch may be comfortable for reading and watching TV, but it’s not a great substitute for an office desk.
At Orthopedic & Wellness in Frederick, Waldorf, and Germantown, Maryland, our skilled physicians, Dr. Ojedapo Ojeyemi and Dr. Matthew Roh, specialize in diagnosing and treating neck pain. And, we’re seeing a lot more cases with more people working from home.
Office ergonomics
Workspaces should be safe and functional. Your company workspace may use adjustable desk chairs for employee comfort, allowing you to change the height so your feet reach the floor and your hands are at desk height. They’re also designed to place computer screens at eye level so your head stays up and faces forward.
The design of your office aims to eliminate discomfort and risk of injury when doing your job. This is called ergonomics, a science that modifies the workspace so it fits you. Improving comfort and reducing risk of injury leads to better work performance.
Poor posture and neck pain
Working from home may make you more productive, but if your home office isn’t ergonomic, you may experience discomfort that over time leads to chronic pain.
When you sit on the couch with your laptop, you look down at the screen. Though the forward tilt of your head may not seem like a big deal, it places extra stress on the ligaments and muscles in your cervical spine (neck). Your head is heavy, and you notice it when you spend hours looking down at your screen.
The weight of your head strains the muscles in your neck, causing pain. Over time, the ongoing stress and strain cause muscle stiffness, joint inflammation, or pinched nerves, leading to chronic neck pain. It can even affect the alignment of your vertebrae.
Improving your at-home work space
If you want to work at home without neck pain, you need to adjust your workspace. This means getting off of the couch and back to a desk.
Your at-home office should include an adjustable chair with armrests that allows you to position your body so your eyes look straight ahead at the screen on the table or desk. You also want to adjust the chair so your elbows are at table height. You may need a monitor riser for your computer screen — and a wireless keyboard if you’re using a laptop — for best positioning.
Remember to take breaks to give your body and neck a break. You don’t need long breaks, but looking away from your computer every 20 minutes for 20 seconds can help you relieve tension in your cervical spine and reset your neck. Use an app to make it routine.
Getting relief from neck pain
Fixing your workspace is the first step in relieving your neck pain, but if you continue to have pain after making changes, it’s time to seek professional help. We customize pain management plans so you get immediate and long-term relief, and our approach may include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Hot and cold therapy
- Gentle stretching
- Physical therapy
- Massage therapy
- Posture training
- Steroid injections or nerve blocks
If you like working from home, you need the right tools to make your work environment comfortable to reduce and prevent neck pain.
Has working from home become a pain in your neck? We can help if you’re struggling with neck pain. Call the office nearest you or book an appointment online today.
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