Sleeping and standing right to prevent Dowager’s Hump

A hump at the base of the neck can be the result of sleeping on the wrong pillow, amongst other causes. “Postural Kyphosis” or Dowager’s Hump is encouraged by forcing the cervical spine into an unnatural position for six-eight hours each night. This sustained pathological alignment causes muscle imbalances, strains the joints and ligaments of the upper back and leads to structural changes over time.

Any type of cushion or pillow that forces the head forward into excessive flexion (chin to chest) places severe stress on the cervical vertebrae and upper thoracic spine. This sustained forward position acts against gravity and triggers the body to produce fatty tissue in the neck for a cushion.

Also, a too flat or no pillow (for back sleepers) causes the neck to fall into excessive extension (hanging back) which, as well, destabilizes the natural curve and strains the muscles leading to stiff, hunched posture over time.

Stomach sleeping is also bad as it forces the neck to rotate at a sharp angle while pushing the upper back into a rounded position. If a pillow doesn’t maintain its shape, the head rolls into unsupported positions which disrupts the natural neck curve and puts undue pressure on neck and joints.

The goal is to fill the space between the head, neck and mattress to keep a neutral spine, without tilting the head up or allowing it to drop down.

Side sleepers usually curl up in the fetal position which causes the head to remain in a hyper bent position for too long. Choose a firmer pillow that fills the space between the shoulder and neck to keep the spine straight.

As we age, posture can be an issue. Some just feel too tired to maintain good posture as a daily habit. However, by not being determined and hyper aware of the need for this, in addition we can develop

1) Rounded shoulders

2) Tight hamstrings

3) Pain and stiffness in shoulder blades

4) Extreme fatigue

5) Headaches or migraines

According to Dr. Candace Price, DC (West Columbia, SC), the above added issues go along with the hyper kyphosis (hump at bottom of neck) and can become extreme while also impairing the lung function.

The most common cause of this in addition to the wrong pillow or bed support choices would be bad posture, osteoporosis, menopause, degenerative changes in your spine (birth defect) or Scheuermann’s Kyphosis in teenagers, when their spine develops incorrectly into a wedge rather than a rectangle.

To get rid of the neck hump, Dr. Price recommends:

1) Chin tucks

2) Scapular squeezes

3) Doorway pectoral stretches

To see video demos of these, you may look them up online; they will be very helpful for keeping that spine smooth and straight!