If you have chronic neck pain, you may find that sitting at your desk all day at work sometimes increases your discomfort. If so, make sure you are not making the following mistakes when trying to prevent a pain in the neck while you are working.

Holding Your Phone with Your Shoulder

If you frequently talk on the phone while looking up information on the computer, you may tend to use your shoulder to hold the handset to your ear so that you hands can be free to type. However, if you hold this position for too long, your neck muscles will tense up, causing muscles spasms and an increase in your neck pain.

Instead of using a handset to speak with customers or clients, see if you can attach a headset to your desk phone. Since the set stays secured to your head, you will not have to bend your neck in odd positions while talking on the telephone.

Looking Down at Your Computer Screen

Depending on the position of your desk and chair, you may find that you are constantly staring down at your computer screen at work. Even if you have to bend your neck only slightly to view the screen, this causing strain on your muscles and spinal column. After keeping this position for a full work day, you most likely feel more pain during work hours, as well as after you go home at night.

Instead of looking down at your screen, look for ways to reposition your workstation so that your eyes are level with the monitor. If your chair is adjustable, play with the levers until you find the correct position. If not, see if you can prop your computer screen up so that you no longer have to bend your neck to look at it.

If you are unable to find a way to make your workstation more ergonomically correct so as not to have to bend your neck, speak with your supervisor. They may have suggestions or can show you how to reposition your desk or chair to make your work environment more comfortable for your neck.

Making sure you avoid the above mistakes can help ease the strain on your neck that could increase your pain level while at work. If you still feel an increase in discomfort during the day, speak with your pain management doctor for further advice on how to keep your pain levels to a minimum while at your work desk.