6 Activities To Avoid With Cervicogenic Headaches And Dizziness
As a busy executive mum, balancing work and home can leave you with little time to manage the neck-related headaches and dizziness that are very common with a high-stress lifestyle. These symptoms can make you feel disoriented and fatigued, making it hard to stay productive and present in both professional and personal life. In this blog lets discuss some activities and habits to avoid and some key adjustments you can make to help alleviate dizziness and headaches.

Cervicogenic dizziness and headaches both originate in the cervical spine. The reasons for this can vary from a muscle spasm to disc issues to spinal stenosis to degeneration and much more. When the nerves that originate in the cervical spine are irritated or compressed, they can manifest as cervicogenic headache and cervicogenic dizziness. Here are some simple everyday activities to avoid or modify to manage these conditions better. 

Mind Your Neck Posture:
Avoid lying down on the couch with your neck overly flexed by stacking too many pillows behind your head. This position can put undue strain on the cervical spine, leading to irritation of the nerves and possibly aggravating symptoms. Also holding the phone between your neck and shoulder can lead to muscle strain and nerve compression in the neck area. Instead, opt for hands-free options, such as using a headset or speakerphone, to keep your neck in a neutral, relaxed position.

Optimize Your Sitting Posture:
Sit back in your chair, ensuring that your lower back is supported, as this alignment in your lumbar spine helps maintain a neutral position in your cervical spine as well. You can use an external lumbar support if your chair does not have an inbuilt one. Keep your feet flat on the floor to reduce stress on the spine, which can indirectly impact your neck. Avoid leaning forward or slumping, as these positions increase strain on the cervical region, potentially worsening dizziness and headaches.



Be Cautious with Repetitive Head Movements:
Repetitive head movements can trigger cervical headaches and dizziness. This can be common for those who use two monitors at work or move from one end of the desk to the other by twisting the torso. Instead of repeatedly moving your head or body, swirl your chair around to get to the other end of the desk or place the two monitors side by side so that you can pivot your gaze to view both the monitors. This helps reduce unnecessary tension in the neck, thereby reducing the chances of cervicogenic headaches and dizziness

Avoid Looking Down for Long Periods:
Whether it’s working on your laptop or your phone, or reading documents, looking down for extended periods can lead to a forward head posture that puts a lot of strain on the nerves exiting the cervical spine, often aggravating both headaches and dizziness. Instead, bring screens or documents to about 5 to 10 degrees below your eye level. You might consider using a laptop stand or monitor riser to keep your head in a more neutral position. 

Follow Proper Ergonomics:
Avoid lifting heavy objects such as heavy grocery bags, car seats with poor technique as this can strain your neck and back. If you need to lift, make sure to bend from your knees and keep the load close to your body, engaging your core muscles to protect your spine. Avoid twisting or bending your neck while lifting, as this can worsen cervical discomfort and related symptoms. Same goes for activities that require reaching overhead, such as placing items on high shelves or even certain cleaning tasks. Keep frequently used items at eye level or lower, and use a step stool instead of stretching your arms and neck upwards.

Avoid Prolonged Static Postures:
Sitting or standing in one position for too long, especially in a hunched or slouched posture, can put strain on your neck muscles and restrict blood flow, both of which can trigger headaches and dizziness.Take a short break every 30–45 minutes to stretch your neck, shoulders, and back with some simple desk exercises or standing up for a quick stretch can relieve tension and improve circulation.

HERE is a free video guide on "Quick and Easy Desk Based Exercises to avoid spinal & joint pain". These are simple and easy exercises that can be done in under 2-3 minutes while sitting at your desk at work or from the comfort of your home. 

Get the course on "Simple Solutions to Manage your Cervicogenic Headache" HERE.  This course offers practical, easy-to-implement proven strategies that actually work and have helped countless people to  overcome their pain, regain energy, and fully engage with their families and careers.

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MEET SWATI

 
Hi there! 
I am Swati, an Executive Mum Power Coach and a Certified Posture Expert. I use my proven system to help mums of younger kids working in high-stress executive jobs manage their back, neck, and nerve pains, despite low energy levels and brain fog. I do all this without taking away a big chunk of their time out of their already busy day. This enables them to be more productive and capable professionals at work and guilt-free mums who can focus on their kids instead of always being distracted by pain. 



My passion for helping executive mums stems from my own experiences. I have been in the same boat and understand the frustration and helplessness of being in constant pain or being afraid to engage in activities due to the fear of pain. After two pregnancies in the span of three years and juggling my two kids, housework, and a demanding job, I was constantly in pain. The weight gain from motherhood added extra stress to my already overburdened spine and joints. I was stuck in a vicious cycle of weight loss and spinal/nerve pain that I just couldn’t break free from.

On top of the physical pain, I also suffered from adrenal fatigue. I often felt exhausted, waking up groggy even after a full night’s (10 to 12 plus hours!) sleep, and struggled with low energy levels and brain fog. Simple tasks became challenging, and I found myself forgetting things and unable to think clearly. It was incredibly frustrating and made it even harder to balance my professional responsibilities and family life.

My work involved long hours of standing during the day, prolonged hours on the laptop in the evening, and lots of running around and rocking my kids to sleep in between. Despite my knowledge and expertise in pain relief, I still found myself unable to escape the constant daily pain and fatigue.

Sitting at a desk job from 9 to 5, or longer, plus endless meetings that seem to go on forever. The frequent traveling, the uncomfortable hotel pillows that make it impossible to get a good night’s sleep—I’ve experienced it all. I remember not being able to share my discomfort at work because I felt like an imposter, talking about pain relief strategies and focusing on work while I was not able to achieve it myself. I didn’t disclose the extent of my pain and forgetfulness to my colleagues for years. Even though I loved my kids and my job, I couldn’t give 100% to either. The discomfort held me back from reaching my full potential, making me feel guilty as a mum and less productive at work. I felt like I was constantly running on empty, unable to catch a break from the pain and exhaustion.

finally got fed up after years of trying and decided to make a New Year’s resolution to get ‘healthy’ instead of focusing solely on my pain, fatigue, forgetfulness, and weight loss. When I shifted my focus to getting healthier by reducing the inflammation in my body and addressing my adrenal fatigue, the pain started to decrease, my energy levels and focus improved, and the pounds started shedding off too! That, of course, meant a happier spine, nerves, joints, and a happier me! Today, my neck, back, and nerve pain are down to zero, my knee pain has reduced by 75%, my brain fog has reduced drastically and my energy levels are higher than ever. I realized that I had been focusing on the wrong solutions for over a decade!

Now, my mission is to share my knowledge of pain relief and managing adrenal fatigue along with my personal experience with other mums, especially those with younger kids who work in high-stress executive jobs. My goal is to help you find lasting relief, boost your energy, and reclaim your life, just as I did. 

If you can relate to all this, you are not alone. As a mum, I have been there and done that—momma, I got you! I’ve helped hundreds of mums in this situation over the years find their solution to manage spinal and joint pains, low energy levels, and brain fog that hold them back. This enables them to feel confidently in control and empowers them to cultivate that confidence and productivity at work and enjoy being with their kids, to be able to run around with them without the fear of injury or pain.

Are you ready for this journey? Ask me how if you are curious.

Let's DO THIS!
xx Swati
** Executive Mum Power Coach **

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