Overview
Everyone experiences neck stiffness at least once in their life. You might wake up from a long sleep with neck pain that seems stubborn and limits your ability to move the neck. Neck stiffness, as the name suggests, is the inability to move the neck in various directions. Moving the neck may cause significant discomfort, which can hamper everyday activities.
What triggers a stiff neck?
Various factors, including cervical disc herniation, can cause a stiff neck. In some cases, the origin of the problem might be the shoulder region instead of the cervical region. While doctors can help you perform tests from the comfort of your home to figure out the cause of your stiff neck, we can discuss some of the common causes that physicians encounter while treating it.
- Bad Posture: Waking up in the morning with a stiff neck? Well, there’s a good chance that you had a “bad posture” while sleeping. The misalignment of the spine can lead to muscle strain, which in turn can lead to pain and stiffness. This is perhaps one of the most common and benign reasons for a stiff neck. A commonly encountered question is ‘how to get rid of a stiff neck fast?’. A doctor can guide you on having a healthy posture and the best sleeping positions so your neck can feel relaxed when you wake up.
- Cervical Disc Herniation: People with disc slips or disc herniations may find themselves in constant pain, especially in the neck region. The nerves originating from the cervical vertebrae may become compressed due to the abnormal placement of the vertebrae, leading to immense pain, tingling sensation, and stiffness. This kind of pain is not usually relieved by simple neck stretches since disc herniation is an underlying issue that needs to be treated with expert medical interventions.
- Arthritis: Certain kinds of arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis, including cervical spondylosis and rheumatoid arthritis, can cause localized inflammation in the joints. Since the cervical vertebral columns are also joints, they can also be affected by these conditions, which may lead to pain in the surrounding areas. This pain often presents like the standard neck stiffness that people usually experience. Therefore, it is vital for the patient to communicate their history of arthritis to the doctor during an online consultation.
- Bone Spurs: Osteophytes or Bone Spurs are caused by degenerative processes in the joints as a result of arthritis
- Trauma: Car accidents, sports injuries, and whiplash can lead to muscle or disc injury, which leads to reduced mobility and varying degrees of pain according to the extent of injury. So, suppose you are looking for information on how to get rid of neck pain caused by injury. In that case, a physician will first assess the extent of your trauma to determine the most appropriate line of treatment, which can be supportive or might require invasive intervention in extreme cases to prevent the situation from worsening.
- Meningitis: A stiff neck can be caused by Meningitis, which can be a life-threatening condition if not treated appropriately. Increased pressure can cause irritation in the spinal cord and neck muscles, leading to the feeling of a stiff neck.
- Fibromyalgia: Apart from the general complaint of widespread pain, a patient suffering from Fibromyalgia will have tender points, particularly in the neck and shoulder, that are extremely sensitive to pain. Fibromyalgia also induces a phenomenon that we call central sensitization, which means the body is extra sensitive to pain signals, making the sensation of pain more intense.
How to get rid of stiff neck?
Prescription Medications
- Muscle Relaxants: If the doctor determines that the pain originates solely from muscular stiffness, he may prescribe muscle relaxants such as methocarbamol or Baclofen.
- NSAIDs: Inflammatory reactions due to underlying conditions can worsen neck pain and stiffness. This is where doctors might prescribe NSAIDs such as Voltaren to get rid of that stiff neck of yours.
- Corticosteroids: How to relieve neck pain if you have autoimmune conditions? Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common autoimmune conditions that cause stiff neck. Therefore, doctors may prescribe corticosteroids to reduce inflammation.
Over the Counter Medications
- Acetaminophen: Acetaminophen, also known as Paracetamol, can be used to relieve pain. However, the underlying condition causing the stiff neck might not be fixed.
- OTC NSAIDs: Over-the-counter NSAIDs, such as Ibuprofen, are usually the simplest forms of neck pain treatment, especially to treat minor inflammation.
- Topical Agents: Several creams and gels are available that can be used as home treatments for neck and shoulder pain. Examples include Diclofenac Gel and Muscle Relaxant Creams.
Stiff Neck Remedies
Before performing any kind of exercise, clearance from a doctor is recommended. Depending on your situation, some exercises might be beneficial, but some might aggravate the condition. Doctors usually recommend a number of ways to exercise your neck, depending on the location and severity of your pain.
- Neck Stretches: Sit or stand up straight. Turn your head to one side, bringing your ear near your shoulder. You will have to hold this position for at least 15-30 seconds after which you may change sides. The desired result will be the strengthening of the sides of your neck.
- Forward Head Tilt: You need to have a good, healthy posture for this exercise. Sit in a chair with arms on your sides and a neutral back posture. Make sure your head faces forward. Begin tilting your head downwards so that the chin starts going towards your chest. Keep doing it slowly until you feel a gentle stretch. The goal is to tilt your head down while lengthening your neck. Hold this position for 5 seconds and repeat 5 times.
- Shoulder Rolls: Stand straight and keep your arms on your sides, start making circles in a way that mobilizes the ball and socket joint of your shoulder. You need to do this rotation at least 8 times clockwise first and then anti clockwise.
- Heat Therapy: Using heat or ice for neck pain is a good way of managing stiffness. Heat therapy, in particular, is considered one of the easiest home remedies for neck pain since it helps increase blood flow and ease stiff muscles. You can use a warm compress or a hot water bottle in the affected area to heal neck pain.
- Cold Therapy: Ice therapy or cold therapy is mostly used for stiff necks caused by whiplash or injury as it soothes inflammation, reduces swelling, and numbs acute pain. Simply apply a cold compress to the area to cure neck pain fast. However, in case of acute trauma or injury, it is best to see a doctor to rule out serious injuries.
- Massage: Sometimes, all you need is a soft massage to relax the tense muscles around your neck. Swedish massage and Deep Tissue massage are some of the common types of massage recommended to patients suffering from chronic stiff necks.
How to prevent a stiff neck?
- Keeping a Healthy Posture: One of the first things medical practitioners usually do during consultations is fix your posture. People often have “shrimp” “-like postures while working on computers, which might cause a condition called “Kyphosis.” Appropriate spinal alignment is important to evenly divide your body weight; otherwise, the neck muscles might have extra strain. Having good postures while sleeping and working can also ensure less pressure on nerves, thereby reducing your chances of having a stiff neck.
- Healthy Diet: Believe it or not, a balanced diet can reduce your risk of developing a stiff neck. How? Essential vitamins and minerals can strengthen your muscles and make them more resistant to straining and spasming.
- Magnesium: Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in nerve conduction on the microscopic level. It helps regulate nerve conduction and manage spontaneous stiffening and contraction.
- Protein: A strong muscular structure requires an adequate supply of protein coming into your body.
- Vitamins: Several vitamins work together in your body to support your muscles, bones, and nerves. For example, Vitamin D strengthens your bones, particularly your vertebrae and muscles, while Vitamin B12 makes your nervous conductions smoother and more effective.
- Adequate rest: Your body heals itself when you rest. Muscle repairs, detoxification, and stress reduction all contribute to reducing your risk of stiff neck.
When should I consult a doctor?
In general, it is advisable to consult a medical expert to determine the cause and treatment plan for a stiff neck. However, there are particular signs that are alarming and require an immediate opinion from a doctor. hose signs include:
- Severe or intolerable pain
- Pain that radiates to surrounding areas
- Pain or stiffness that is accompanied by numbness or tingling
- You have had recent trauma that has led to acute pain or stiffness
- Pain is accompanied by nausea
- Stiffness that does not subside even after 2 weeks
FAQs about stiff neck
Water: Yes! You heard it right! Water, in its simplest form, can help reduce neck pain. Here’s how: lack of water or dehydration is known to cause involuntary muscle spasms and cramps. Keeping your body hydrated can greatly improve muscle mobility and prevent stiffness. Fresh fruit juices, milkshakes, and smoothies can also help as they give you a power punch of vitamins and minerals, strengthening muscle function and nerve conduction in patients with neck pain and stiffness. Banana smoothies are a good option since bananas are a gold mine for potassium, which is an essential mineral for nerve conduction and muscle mobility.
A combination of exercises, along with hot and cold compresses, as suggested by a doctor, can help you get instant relief, depending on the severity of your condition.
Vitamin D has a multifaceted effect on the body, which is especially helpful for patients with stiff necks. It prevents muscle weakness and enhances muscle mobility. It also helps absorb calcium into the bones, which provides stronger cervical vertebrae. Other than that, Vitamin D may also act as an antioxidant, reducing soreness and alleviating involuntary muscle stiffness.
NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen are considered to be the most effective anti-inflammatory medications for muscle pain, including in the neck region.
