After treating scores of people for neck pain, I've developed a set of instructions that I repeat time and again. Because these instructions have been so helpful to my patients, I'm sharing them here in my column.

There are many different causes of neck pain, and if you're experiencing such pain, you should consult your doctor. That said, it's important to understand that posture and body positioning may play an important role in alleviating symptoms. Here are some simple ways -- helpful even for those who don't have neck pain -- to keep your body in a better position and avoid future injury.

Support Your Arms
This is especially important if you use the computer. By holding your arms in front of you for any period of time, you stress your body. Wrist supports may provide minor aid, but they can also put pressure on the carpal tunnel -- the small passageway between your hand and your wrist that houses tendons and the median nerve -- and are therefore not ideal for those who may be susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome. Instead, rest your arms on a pillow you place on your lap, making sure that your forearms are supported. Avoid putting direct pressure on your elbow, where the ulnar nerve is most superficial (you've probably felt the ulnar nerve tingle when you've hit your "funny bone"). More sophisticated solutions include ergonomically-designed forearm rests.

Use a Speaker Phone, a Headset or an Earpiece
Holding a phone between your neck and shoulder so that your hands are free obviously has the potential to hurt your neck. But you may also experience neck pain when you hold a phone normally. Try an experiment without your phone: Pretend you're holding your phone and bring your hand up to your ear. Now, hold that position for five or 10 minutes. How comfortable does that really feel? In order to maintain the position, you must hold your arm in an awkward position while simultaneously engaging many of the muscles that support your arm, shoulder, neck and back. Most people don't realize that while they talk on the phone, sustained muscle contractions promote neck pain. Your best bet? Go hands-free by using a speaker phone, a headset or an earpiece.

Avoid Bifocals
You don't have to throw away your prescription glasses, but if you wear bifocals, think about how you're positioning your neck in order to see clearly. Are you moving your neck into unnatural positions so that you're better able to see things? If so, that's probably not helping a sore neck.

Invest in a Book Stand
If you love to read, you've probably never noticed that it puts stress on your neck muscles to hold a book. This is another exercise to try without the actual object: Hold your arms out in front of you as if you were reading a book. Now, keep your arms there for five minutes. Is that comfortable? Probably not. If you're a reader, it's likely that you often hold a book for far longer than five minutes, engaging your arm, shoulder, neck and back muscles the entire time. Instead, try using a book stand, which will allow those muscles to relax.

I have many more suggestions for reducing neck pain, but these are four simple approaches that may make a world of difference when it comes to improving symptoms or -- for the lucky folks who don't have neck pain now -- avoiding future problems.