Sneezing is a pretty violent process. It puts a lot of pressure on your back and neck and can be painful. If you experience neck pain when sneezing, you might have a herniated or protruded disc. Even if you have an injury, you can reduce the pain you feel by sneezing correctly. Follow some tips, so you are less likely to experience pain when you sneeze.
If you experience neck pain when sneezing, you might want to hold back a sneeze so that you can avoid the discomfort. However, this can make the problem worse. When the pressure of the sneeze isn’t released, it can damage your neck. One man even ended up with a hole in his throat due to holding in a sneeze. If you feel the urge to sneeze, let it happen so that you can avoid a serious injury.
This is similar to holding back a sneeze. If you’re in a public place and feel a big sneeze coming, you might cover your nose to quiet the sneeze down. Again, you need to let the pressure out to avoid hurting yourself. As embarrassing as a loud sneeze is, it’s not nearly as awkward as ending up on the ground from the pain.
If you feel a sneeze coming in public, you likely turn your head to the side or down quickly. This fast movement can lead to neck pain when sneezing. Instead of turning your head, have a tissue handy. Then you can keep your head facing forward when you sneeze without having to be impolite.
You usually get a warning before you sneeze. When you feel that warning coming on, get into the proper position. If you are lying down, stand up. Bend your back slightly, so your spine curves just a bit. If possible, hold onto something to stabilize your body before you sneeze. Maintain your position during the sneeze.
Did you know that you can get whiplash from sneezing? An exceptionally violent sneeze can cause your head to move back and forth in quick succession, leading to whiplash. If that happens, you can expect to experience some pain. Focus on keeping your head still when sneezing. If this is a problem for you, hold your head a bit during the sneeze to stabilize it. It might look a little weird, but a few strange glances are a small price to pay for avoiding whiplash.
You have followed all the tips, and you still have neck pain when sneezing. That means it is time to get checked out by an experienced New York neck injury doctor. You need to rule out any medical conditions that might cause your neck pain. Your doctor will see if you have cervical disc problems, neck muscle sprains, or other issues. Once the problem is identified, you can receive treatment. Then you can finally go back to sneezing without experiencing neck pain.
