Bump on the back of the neck

Many people cause serious harm to their bodies in life and work because they do not pay attention to their sitting posture. If the sitting posture is correct, it is unlikely that there will be problems with the spine. Some people like to lower their heads to play with their mobile phones for a long time or have incorrect posture when standing on the left side, which causes a bulge on the back of the neck. Many people call this position the wealth bag. Let's understand why the wealth bag appears.

1. The seventh cervical vertebra of a normal person is originally protruding

The seventh cervical vertebra has a particularly long spinous process (a protruding bone) extending backwards. When you lower your head, this bone will protrude obviously, so this cervical vertebra that "stands out from the crowd" is also called a "protuberant vertebra."

1. As age increases, the seventh cervical vertebra will gradually become prominent

As we age, the intervertebral discs will age and degenerate, which is a natural physiological process. A simple slight protrusion of the seventh cervical vertebra is an early manifestation of intervertebral disc degeneration, just like fine lines on the face, there is no need to make a fuss about it.

But in addition to this, if there is also pain and numbness in the head, neck, shoulders, arms and hands, you need to pay attention to your usual sitting and standing posture, look down at your phone or books less, and go to the hospital to take an X-ray to see how serious the condition is.

2. Play with your phone like this to avoid hurting your cervical spine!

First, hold your phone to eye level and raise your head! If you feel too tired and can't hold on, take a break every half an hour, turn your neck in circles, draw a cross with your head, and relax your cervical spine.

2. Six major "killers" of the cervical spine

1. Bowing your head or sitting for a long time

The cervical spine is like a suspension tower, and the muscles at the back are the slings. If you keep your head down for a long time, the muscles will be strained for a long time, which can easily cause cervical disc herniation, cervical instability, etc.

Recommendation: Develop a good sitting and standing posture, and reduce the time you spend looking down. If you are looking at your phone, place it parallel to your line of sight. In addition, "interrupting yourself" every 45 minutes at work and relaxing for 5 minutes is a great way to prevent cervical spondylosis.

2. Rough massage may cause ligament tear in the neck

For cervical discomfort, massage therapy does have the effects of relaxing muscles and tendons, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and reducing swelling and relieving pain. However, blindly and roughly massaging the cervical spine will have adverse consequences and increase the possibility of cervical spinal cord injury.

Recommendation: If it is just muscle tension and mild discomfort in the neck, proper massage can relax the muscles and promote the dissipation of local metabolic products. However, if it is confirmed that the cervical spine is unstable, the intervertebral disc is herniated, or the spinal canal is stenotic, do not massage.

3. Not sleeping with a pillow or using a pillow that is too high can cause strain on the ligaments of the neck

For people who are used to working with their heads down, sleeping with their heads tilted back may feel comfortable for a while, but if this continues for a long time, the ligaments in the neck will be tense for a long time, causing strain, which is not good for the health of the cervical spine.

Similarly, a pillow that is too high is not conducive to the rest of the cervical spine. It will disrupt the normal curvature of the cervical spine and aggravate cervical spine diseases.

Recommendation: The appropriate pillow height should maintain the normal physiological position of the junction of the cervical spine and torso, rather than excessive flexion, excessive supination, or left or right deviation. If you wake up with neck discomfort and dizziness, you should change your pillow.

4. Sitting on a soft sofa will increase the risk of cervical spondylosis

Many people like to curl up on the soft sofa and watch their phones or TV after get off work, but this is actually a big mistake.

The more tired you are, the more you need to maintain the physiological curvature of the cervical spine and even the entire spine. Sitting on the sofa will only aggravate the invisible damage to your muscles and bones.

Recommendation: You should sit on soft sofas as little as possible, and even if you have to sit, try to sit upright. If you are really tired, it is better to lie down than to curl up. If standing or sitting does not maintain the physiological position of the spine, then the best way to resist gravity is to lie down.

5. Wearing high heels quickly increases vertebral pressure

Wearing high heels will cause the center of gravity to move forward excessively, causing the pelvis to tilt forward, increasing the curvature of the spine, reducing the contact area between the vertebrae, and concentrating the force points on the lumbar and cervical vertebrae, even to one point. In this way, the pressure on the vertebrae will increase rapidly and easily cause damage.

Recommendation: For a healthy spine, it is best not to wear high heels. If you really have to wear shoes, the heel should not exceed 5 cm and should not exceed 4 hours a day.

6. Lying on the table to catch up on sleep can easily lead to cervical vertebrae deformation

This posture causes the neck to lean forward, which is opposite to the normal physiological curvature. Over time, it can easily lead to cervical deformation, neck muscle fatigue, and cervical spondylosis.

Recommendation: When catching up on sleep, it is best to lie down. If this is not possible, place a soft cushion or pillow on your chest as a cushion instead of resting your head directly on your arms.