I have been Diagnosed With a Military Neck? What can you Suggest for home treatment?

A Military Neck basically means that you have a straightening of the cervical curve in your neck. Meaning that normally you should have a "C" shaped spinal curve if one was to look at you from the side profile on an x-ray. This also affects the discs in the spine. The fluid is forced out of the disc when the vertebrae are pushed forward.  When the neck loses this C shape that is normal, they call it is a military spine. A straightening of the cervical curve has occurred.

How can this happen? Well it is not an overnight occurrence. It happens very gradually over time- often taking months or years. It can happen from such things as:

• being at a computer desk for many hours
• spinal injury that involved hyper extension
• a whiplash type of accident
• having a slouched posture when walking or sitting
• sleeping on a pillow that is too high to too low

A military neck can be the cause of neck stiffness, aching and pain.

So what can help with this condition of the neck? Two things I am going to suggest: a special pillow and a device to help stretch your neck in the right direction. Your plan of action will be to use the traction device during the day for 10-15 min at a time and use a special pillow at night. Alongside with this, doing postural exercises will also be beneficial.

A specialized pillow with contours will help you get the proper curve in the spine. At first sleeping on such a pillow can be painful and cause soreness. However overtime it will help your neck and also you will sleep better with proper posture. One example is the arc4life traction pillow. For a more firmer pillow choice, the tri-core pillow is also great ( I would recommend the gentle version of this neck pillow).

A traction device to help you get the curve back in the neck is the posture pump 1000. This traction device stretches your neck in the C Curved shape. You can get upwards of 20 lbs of pressure with this traction unit. You have a lay down while you do this. Not only does the traction unit help to get the proper curvature in the spine, it also helps to hydrate the discs as well. Here is a video showing you how to use the posture pump hydrating the discs and helping you get rid of the military neck:



Off course we always suggest at arc4life that you have your cervical spine checked by a doctor to make sure you are cleared for neck traction. A proper consultation, examination and x-rays can help determine what your spine looks like.  These are suggestions for treatment of a militatry neck, but keep in mind there are contra-indications to doing neck traction as well. So check with your Doctor first. 

Additional Reading Resources

• Having a Pinched Nerve in the Neck..What a Pain in the Neck
• How the arc4life traction pillow can help you get the curve in the your c spine
• Understanding how the posture pump 1000 hydrates your discs
• The Different Types of Neck Traction Recommended by Doctors
• How having good neck posture helps you neck pain

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!