# Such a Pain In the Neck!



## Debby (May 1, 2015)

Laptop Neck Syndrome.  Anybody have that here?  I think I sure do because I usually like sitting on the couch with my laptop on my lap (obviously right) or I wind up slouch down lower and lower til I'm practically lying there with terrible posture and my laptop now on my chest (hard to type that way let me tell you).  And for the past four days, my neck has been steadily getting worse despite massaging the bad areas repeatedly.  

I think it's gotta be the way I use my computer so I'm gong to give it up or should I say use it only when sitting upright at a table.  If it's the computer, I should improve over the next couple days. 

Anyone else find that sitting and staring down at it is giving you and enormously sore neck and massaging doesn't do much good?  Any other 'cures' out there?


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## NancyNGA (May 1, 2015)

Not staring down, but staring up with a desktop.  Several years ago.  I have progressive glasses so had to hold my head tilted back to see the monitor. 
It caused terrible neck issues.  I moved the monitor and keyboard down onto a lower table about knee level and it solved the problem.  

So holding your head a certain way like that for a long time can certainly cause neck issues.  Maybe just moving it slightly up would help.
Or changing it around once in a while.


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## Josiah (May 1, 2015)

Yes Debby, I suffer that malady and it's been particularly acute for the past couple of months. Improving your posture and neck exercises are suppose to be the answer, but both remedies demand a degree of self discipline I haven't been able to muster lately.


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## SeaBreeze (May 1, 2015)

I don't have a laptop, but had the same issue as Nancy with my desktop, tend to lean my head back while reading and it has caused me neck pain.  I sat on my memory foam pillow for awhile on a higher chair and that helped a lot.  I think many times we have aches and pains from mindless repeat postures we take on daily and don't even think about.


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## QuickSilver (May 2, 2015)

Not my neck.. but I have pretty bad carpal tunnel in my right wrist.


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## Debby (May 2, 2015)

Ah modern technology!  The creator of so much good.......and the source of much suffering sometimes. Necks, backs, wrists....and like you pointed out Josiah, it pretty much comes down to self discipline (and who's good at that ?)

Yesterday I had the laptop sitting over on the table and found that I hardly used it because it was 'waaay over there' instead of laying on the coffee table in front of me.  So maybe this will be a two-fold solution:  solve my neck problems and I'll get more real-world stuff done!


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## QuickSilver (May 2, 2015)

NancyNGA said:


> Not staring down, but staring up with a desktop.  Several years ago.  I have progressive glasses so had to hold my head tilted back to see the monitor.
> It caused terrible neck issues.  I moved the monitor and keyboard down onto a lower table about knee level and it solved the problem.
> 
> So holding your head a certain way like that for a long time can certainly cause neck issues.  Maybe just moving it slightly up would help.
> Or changing it around once in a while.



Progressive lenses do cause a problem with computers is you are sitting too low and are lifting your chin up to look through your lens.   I wear progressives too..  I try to sit high and look down through the sweet spot..


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## Josiah (May 2, 2015)

Here's a link to a very COMPREHENSIVE website that discusses posture and exercises in great detail.

http://fixtheneck.com/index.html


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## Ameriscot (May 2, 2015)

I have progressive lenses as well and I sit with my seat higher up and the screen low.  Looking up at a screen will certainly give you serious neck issues.


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## Josiah (May 2, 2015)

What's so difficult about correcting posture is that as soon as you stop thinking about your posture you begin to slip back into you bad head forward habits. What they need is some kind to hi-tech device that you wear which gives you an auditory signal the moment you slip into an incorrect posture.


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## NancyNGA (May 2, 2015)

Josiah said:


> What's so difficult about correcting posture is that as soon as you stop thinking about your posture you begin to slip back into you bad head forward habits. What they need is some kind to hi-tech device that you wear which gives you an auditory signal the moment you slip into an incorrect posture.



I'm trying to work on posture too, Josiah.  It is very difficult.  If stooping over too much is the problem, one high tech suggestion I just read about is to run a piece of masking tape down your back and when you stoop over it pulls your skin to remind you. But one needs a roommate to put the tape on. 

Since a person spends almost a third of their lives in bed, I've been working on trying to change my sleeping position.  Don't know if it's helping or not.


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## AprilSun (May 26, 2015)

I have had that problem for some time. I would find myself getting so involved with reading online, I would forget to move my head. That's when I started having neck pain. I found a program online that gives you a reminder to move and if you want it to, it will darken the screen so you HAVE to move. You decide how often you want it to remind you. I have purchased it and have it installed and it works great! As long as I don't disable this program and keep moving when it reminds me, my neck doesn't bother me now. Also, when I crochet, I have the same problem. That's when I pull out a timer and set it for 10 minutes. When it goes off, I move my neck and then reset the timer. I knew that I would probably cheat if I used a timer when I'm on my computer. With this program, I have it set up so it will be firm with me.


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## AZ Jim (May 26, 2015)

I have the neck pain from staring up at my desktop and down at my laptop.  Oh the pain......what we sacrifice to bring cheer to out fellow members...oh well someone has to do it.


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## Josiah (May 26, 2015)

NancyNGA said:


> I'm trying to work on posture too, Josiah.  It is very difficult.  If stooping over too much is the problem, one high tech suggestion I just read about is to run a piece of masking tape down your back and when you stoop over it pulls your skin to remind you. But one needs a roommate to put the tape on.
> 
> Since a person spends almost a third of their lives in bed, I've been working on trying to change my sleeping position.  Don't know if it's helping or not.



Nancy, I've thought about sleeping position as well and make a conscious effort to assume an acceptable posture before I drift off. How long I stay in that position after I'm asleep is an unanswered question. I like your low tech posture reminders and I'm sure others could be devised.


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## Glinda (May 26, 2015)

As I've stated in other threads, I'm a big fan of acupuncture for any type of pain.  For me it has worked much faster than drugs, physical therapy, etc.


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