Woke Up With a Stiff Neck? Here's How to Treat and Prevent It
We’ve all experienced the following
scenario: you wake up one morning, only to find out that your neck is
all sore and achy. When you try to turn to the side, you feel
excruciating pain and realize that your neck is frozen in one position.
But having a stiff neck isn’t just painful, it also restricts your
movements and makes daily activities, like driving, dangerous.
In this article, we’ll explain how you can reduce your chances of
getting a stiff neck and how to reduce the symptoms when it does occur.
What Causes a Stiff Neck?
An episode of neck stiffness is often
sudden, and you will surely be wondering, what did you do wrong? Well,
there are many things involved, and factors like your posture, level of
activity, previous injuries, age, and even stress definitely play a big
role.
In most cases, neck stiffness occurs when the neck muscles and tendons
are overused, overstretched, or strained. For example, looking down at
your phone, sitting in a hunched position in front of the computer, or
sleeping in an awkward position can all distort the natural neck
posture. Hence, these bad habits can create tension and pain.
However, in some cases, neck stiffness can point to a more serious
issue, namely:
Arthritis of the neck is also known as cervical spondylosis. This
degenerative condition causes pain and stiffness in the neck, especially
when you're staying in the same position for a long time. Other
symptoms include headaches, balance problems, and weakness or numbness
in the hands and arms.
Whiplash is a more severe type of neck injury that occurs after
sudden or sharp movements, such as a car accident or injury. Other
symptoms of whiplash include headaches, back and shoulder pain,
difficulty concentrating, dizziness, memory loss, and a prickling or
burning sensation in the neck.
Meningitis is an infection of the membrane that lines the brain and
the spinal cord. This condition is a medical emergency and could be
life-threatening. Like any infection, meningitis causes a fever that is
accompanied by headaches, nausea, confusion, irritability, sensitivity
to light, and being extremely sleepy or unable to wake up.
In this article, we will show you how to prevent and treat neck
stiffness brought about by minor neck injuries, as all three of the
additional causes require professional care.
How to Prevent Neck Stiffness
If you notice that neck stiffness and pain is a recurrent issue, it’s
likely because of poor posture, a lack of exercise, and bad habits.
Apart from the obvious, i.e. exercising and stretching your neck muscles
regularly, these are the beneficial daily habits and hints that will
help you prevent neck stiffness.
1. Stop and stretch when you’re driving for long periods of time
Sitting behind the wheel for long periods
of time can strain your neck. If you’re planning a long drive, it’s
mandatory to take breaks, stand up, and stretch your neck every hour or
so. You can even set an alarm on your phone to help you remember that
it’s time for a break. Also, make sure that you’re sitting in a
comfortable and neutral position while driving.
2. Practice good posture during the day
Our everyday activities can either affect or protect our neck health,
and we’re sure that we all wish to stick to the latter option. This is
why you should avoid looking down while reading books, scrolling on the
smartphone, sitting at the computer, and even watching TV.
When you're looking down, all these activities can strain and stretch
out the neck muscles. Therefore, make it a rule to read or use devices
at eye level, set up your computer desk ergonomically, and take frequent
breaks.
3. Be careful when carrying bags
It doesn’t matter if you’re walking around with a heavy bag on the same
shoulder all the time or just overestimated how many shopping bags you
can pick up one time, carrying heavy loads can strain the muscles of the
neck. Using backpacks instead of a purse or briefcase can help
distribute the weight more evenly and prevents injuries and neck strain.
When carrying shopping bags, take fewer
bags at a time and make sure you’re using your legs and not the upper
body to pick them up.
4. Adjust your sleeping position
If you woke up with a stiff neck in the morning, chances are that your
sleeping position is to blame. Stomach sleepers are the highest risk of
neck stiffness and pain, as this sleep position puts a lot of strain on
the neck muscles.
Try to switch to side-sleeping instead, and read our article about the
best sleeping positions to do it right. Your mattress or pillow may be
too soft, too, so make sure to consult a professional to help you find
at least a pillow with just enough support.
5. Use headphones or an earpiece to talk on the phone
Are you one of those people who like to free up their hands while
talking on the phone by keeping the phone between the shoulder and the
head? If so, then we found the habit that’s making your neck so sore and
stiff. Simply connect your phone to a pair of headphones or an
earpiece, and your problem will be solved.
How to Restore Neck Flexibility and Reduce
Pain
Here’s what to do with a stiff neck when it’s already too late for
prevention and you have a problem on your hands. First and foremost,
understand that the problem will probably stick around for a day or two,
and it’s best if you don’t drive or do heavy physical activities at
this time because your neck is injured.
A gentle and mindful approach goes a long way in releasing all that
tension, helping with the pain, and improving neck flexibility.
Here are
a few tips:
1. Apply a heat or ice compress
Using heat and ice can help relieve
inflammation in the neck. It works the best within 48 hours after the
pain first started. Simply take an ice pack or a heating pad and apply
it over the affected area for up to 20 minutes.
If you don’t have these items, you can use a bag of ice or frozen peas
wrapped in a towel in place of an ice pack, or a plastic bottle filled
with warm water instead of a heating pad. You can repeat the process
every 20-30 minutes.
2. Use over-the-counter painkillers
Even if you’re feeling more stiffness than pain per se, it’s a good idea
to take a painkiller that belongs to the NSAID group of pain
medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), or
naproxen sodium (Aleve). This is because these medications have an
anti-inflammatory effect that will help clear up the neck stiffness
faster.
3. Take a bath
A major cause of neck stiffness and pain is
stress. Therefore, engaging in any relaxing activity - watching movies,
listening to music, meditation - will usually help your neck pain and
stiffness. We recommend a warm bath, as it combines relaxation with the
application of heat.
4. Avoid using a collar to immobilize a stiff neck
It’s best to continue with your daily activities and avoid putting on a
collar to immobilize the neck unless advised otherwise by your doctor.
The reason why is because a little stretch and movement usually help
your neck recover more quickly.
5. Stretch gently
Once your pain isn’t very sharp anymore, you can start doing a few
gentle neck stretches. Make sure to stretch gently and slowly, as this
will reduce the pain and stiffness as opposed to sudden movements that
will only cause more inflammation.
Here are a few examples of stretches:
-Bring your shoulder blades together a few times, then roll your
shoulders from front to back.
-Try to slowly turn the head from one side to another, but without
forcing yourself through any pain.
-You can also try acupressure to reduce the pain.
6. Gentle aerobic exercises
As we mentioned above, you should probably avoid doing any serious
exercise for the first few days if you’re suffering from neck stiffness.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t move altogether, though. In fact,
engaging in low-impact exercise helps alleviate muscle tension and
stiffness. Walking, biking or yoga are just a few examples of such safe
and helpful activities.
When to Seek Medical Help
Usually, following the above-mentioned tips can help relieve neck pain
and stiffness in a few days. If the symptoms continue or worsen after a
few days and your neck pain interferes with your daily activities, you
should consult your healthcare provider.
You should also go to the doctor immediately if you experience any of
the following symptoms that accompany neck stiffness:
You feel pain, weakness, or numbness in your arms or legs
Persistent headaches
Confusion and irritability
Fever
The pain started after a car accident, fall, or injury.
I wish you good health!