Pregnancy totally alters your body and can make coping with normal problems like neck pain difficult. Typically, someone might just take a couple of over the counter pain medications to relieve neck pain, but thats not an option during pregnancy. To avoid harming the fetus, medications are avoided at all costs, even if it means discomfort for the mother. Neck pain can especially occur later in pregnancy as balance and posture totally shift. Additionally, tensions and stress can run high during the latter portion of the pregnancy as hormones run rampant and time runs short to prepare for the babys arrival.

However, just because medications arent an option doesnt mean pregnant women have to suffer in silence! Here are a few tips to help relieve and prevent unwanted neck pain.

1. Sleep with only one good cervical support pillow. When youre pregnant you think cervical and you think something to do with your OBGYN. Not when youre talking about your back. The cervical portion of your back includes the 7 vertebrae at the top of your spine, located in your neck and shoulders. Sleeping with too many pillows can cause an unnatural position of the head and result in pain.

2. Getting comfortable at night is sometimes difficult when pregnant. Again, resist the urge to pile pillows under your head. Try putting a pillow under your knees to help relieve any low back pain, stop the urge to shift around, and prevent pressure on sensitive areas.
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3. Try using ice and or heat during the day to help relax the muscles in your neck and increase oxygen rich blood flow to the area. The Healthy Back Institute sells an infrared heating pad that offers deeper penetration than a normal heating pad. It can get deep into tense muscles to help relax away any pain you may be feeling.

4. In the morning, try neck stretching exercises. Its important not to stretch your neck to the point of pain though. Just rotate your head around enough to feel the muscles stretching. Try doing it in a warm shower for that one-two punch of heat and stretching for ultimate pain relief. Practicing this technique regularly can help strengthen your neck muscles and prevent pain in the future.

a. Try slowly tilting one ear towards your shoulder. Only go far enough to feel a good stretch. If you start to feel pain, pull back. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

b. Roll your head in half circles. Start on the left side with your chin down, slowly roll to the right giving your neck a complete range of motion stretch. Do this five to ten times, then repeat with your head tilted back.

5. Focus on maintaining good posture during the day. Hunching over your desk at work can cause your neck pain to be worse. Sit up straight. Get a back support cushion that will help keep your spine in the ideal "S" position instead of the "C" position most often achieved when sitting, especially when pregnant. The Healthy Back Institute offers a wide range of seat and back support cushions to help you achieve the ideal sitting position.


6. The Healthy Back Institute also offers a wide variety of books and e-books on holistic back and neck pain relief. These options can provide you with a natural way of relieving your pain.

The Healthy Back Institute is devoted to helping you relieve your neck pain during pregnancy naturally. Visit www.losethebackpain.com to see more tips and tricks for relieving your neck pain today!