So here is the most common causes of upper neck issues and a little bit about how to get some relief.

The main motion of the upper neck is rotation.

The top vertebra actually pivots on the second vertebra.

But if we maintain that rotation for too long, the joints can get stuck and the muscles can seize up.

Common actions that create that position are watching TV, or a computer screen that's placed to one side instead of straight in front of you,

and talking to someone beside you on the train car bus or in a business meeting for a prolonged period of time.

But the most common cause of maintained rotation are actually some common sleeping positions.

So when sleeping face up, avoid turning your head to one side, try to keep in a neutral position instead.

And don't lie on your stomach as this forces the neck into rotation so that you can breathe.

Lying on your side is fine, but not if you roll forward as this creates the same position as sleeping face down.

Bending the top knee much more than the bottom one encourages us to roll forward, so instead bend your knees, equally.

Putting a pillow between your legs can help keep the knees even, or hugging a pillow can help keep you from rolling forward too.

Now, I know what you're thinking, "But what about when I'm asleep? How can I control it then?"

Well, sleeping habits are just that they're a sleeping habit and habits can be changed.

So just keep correcting your position and eventually your sleeping position will change too.

Just stick with it.

It might take you a few months, but then you'll sleep the rest of your life in a position that's good for your neck.

Strangely enough, despite being a rotation area, neck rotation exercises are not very helpful to relieve upper neck pain.

And doing circles with your neck creates a coupling motion that can aggravate the problem.

Simple side bending, just moving your head on your neck can be helpful because it opens up the neck joints and stretches the important suboccipital muscles.

P and F exercises can sometimes help too.

Pushing your head against your hand for five seconds while trying to bend to the side, and trying to rotate your head and doing that on each side.

I've already done a video on that so rather than rehash it, I'll leave a link to that video in the description box below.

Now in some people, upper neck pain can originate from tight shoulder muscles that attach to the upper neck, especially the levator scapular muscle.

The most common cause of tightness in these muscles is forward head posture.

So if your posture is pretty poor and you can feel tightness extending up from the shoulder, you can check out my fixing forward head posture video.

But that's it for today. Thanks very much for watching.

A big thanks to everyone who's been liking, commenting and subscribing.

I really appreciate it, so cheers.