Stiff Neck

Today, with the increasing throat cutting competition in the modern scenario, our lives have become full of stress. In order to get succeed we must keep ourselves recharged, highly motivated. It is essential for our health to remain active, but if you are suffering from stiff neck, it will be very difficult for you get motivated.

A stiff neck is a common ailment which usually consider as harmless lasting for a few painful days. Generally our physicians term it as a cervical spasm. So most of the times, you are just experiencing the effects of sore muscles. But wait, stiff neck should not be taken so lightly. If you are frequently suffering from stiff neck it is best for you to consult the experts to understand the cause of it.

Sometimes stiff neck is an outcome of a concussion to head or neck. There is a possibility of some serious diseases associated with this symptom. Meningitis and high blood pressure are the two commonly found serious ailments associated with it. It can also be a symptom of other diseases like brain inflammation which is characterized by abnormal nausea. So it is always better visit your doctor, do the routine tests and get confirmed about the cause.

As mentioned above, normally, stiff neck is an outcome of our poor postures and our way of lifestyle. Most of the times we ourselves get so habituated of our poor postures that we gradually tighten our necks, shoulders and backs over the period. A physical or mental stress tenses the muscles in your neck. Here are the few remedies to avoid this situation.

1. Avoid Stress – In today’s fast moving world stress often causes the neck muscles and upper shoulder muscle to tighten. The tightening of neck and shoulder muscles can trigger the whole body tightening causing Stiff Neck. So try to avoid stress.

Use relaxation techniques to get rid of stress. Lying on the ground with your bent knees, flat feet, and a paperback book underneath your head can be a good starting posture for exercising relaxation. Imagine your muscles releasing and unlocking your head from your spine, place your back spread out against floor and feel your deep breathing.

2. Checking of Bed and Pillow – In most of the cases this is easiest thing to do to bring quick comfort. A mattress or bed that doesn’t provide the necessary support is a common cause in neck pain. Even an old and hard pillow can lead to stiff neck. Remember, you do spend one-third of life in bed so its very essential to provide optimum support to the body.

3. Avoid the Draft – This is another common cause of stiff neck. Neck pain can be a punishment for sleeping with the windows open on a full night. People from old age group are more susceptible to these kinds of neck pains. So avoid keeping open the windows of bedroom. Also try to keep the window close on your side while driving.

4. Massage – Massage serves as one to of the best tools to get quick relief from a stiff neck. Although it serves as a temporary solution it is very helpful to get an instant relief. Expert massage therapist knows the anatomy well enough to know which muscle to be released. You can also learn the same massage.

5. Pain Killers – This remedy also forms a temporary solution of the problem but can give a quick relief and ease your pain. Pain Killers like aspirin should be tried to reduce the swelling and inflammation of neck. It has to be understood that these pain killers or muscle relaxants can only mask the problems but will not address the underlying cause.

6. Gentle Hot Shower – A hot shower can also help to relieve the tension in the neck muscles. The hot shower gently massages the neck muscle by providing heat deep down the muscles.

7. Isotonic Exercises – Isotonic exercises strengthen the muscles of neck in upper shoulder region. Thus minimizing the possibility of injury in this area. Because of such exercises flexibility increases which will reduce the probability of stiff neck.

If the cause of stiff neck is muscle spasms or aches then you will get relief from the pain after sometime marking the phase only temporary one. But if you are witnessing fever, vomiting along with the pain due to stiff neck then it can be symptoms of simple viral illness or meningitis or a more serious infection around the brain. In such cases consult your doctor immediately.

If you are witnessing throbbing pain or numbness down your shoulder or into your arm then you may be the patient of herniated cervical disk. In this ailment the part of vertebra of spinal chord grows abnormally resulting in pressing against nerve. Stiff neck can also be outcome of rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia, a condition where muscles and tendons get affected. It can be also a case of degenerative cervical arthritis.

Anti inflammatory medicines like Ibuprofen and Aspirin can be used to get instant relief. Gentle heat can be applied to the sore area. Consulting your physician is always the best thing you can do.