Suffering neck pain? Or, sustaining a neck injury? A cervical collar or neck braces are there to manage the pain. From a neck collar for cervical spondylosis to neck braces for craniocervical instability, it supports the spine and head.
There may be a soft cervical collar or it can be hard. The soft cervical collar is made from a soft, rubbery material and is employed for relief from moderate neck pain. Whereas the hard collar made of plastic or plexiglass manage serious injuries as it supports chin as well and restrict head rotation.
Tips to wear cervical collar
Fit- Ensure the fit of the collar is comfortable in order to avoid any irritation. There might be a rash from cervical collar if it is close-fitted. But, soft cervical collar too has side effects. If the collar is loose fitted it won’t provide adequate support and alleviate the pain. Also, an abnormally loose collar may cause irritation and bruises.
Wearing secretes- You should know how to wear a hard cervical collar. So, how do you put on a hard cervical collar? As the collar is supposed to provide support to chin too you should be aware of your posture. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions for proper fit.
Pressure- To avoid complications you should know how much pressure the belt should exert. You will find a Velcro fastener with a height adjustment facility in Flamingo hard collar. How tight should a cervical collar be? A simple answer to it is making a neck brace comfortable yet adequately tight.
Duration- How long should you wear a soft cervical collar? You may be required to wear the cervical collar until your spine has healed. The time may range between 4 weeks to 6 months.
To sustain different types of neck injuries there are two types of cervical collars- Soft and hard. Both have different needs. Medineeds recommends buying an excellent quality cervical collar to take the best care of your neck pain.