It’s 7 AM! And your alarm is wailing inches from your head!
As you turn over to hit the snooze button, you notice that your neck refuses to roll over with you. It’s stiff.
You go about your day awkwardly, attempting to get everything done without moving your neck. It doesn’t take long to see that this is not going to work for a long-term solution. You need to find a treatment as soon as possible.
You ask a question, ‘How do I get rid of my neck stiffness?’.
Well, read on to discover a variety of science-backed neck stiffness treatment methods to get relief.
Table of Contents
What Causes Neck Stiffness?
Neck stiffness or pain can be unpleasant and can make it difficult to go about your regular routine. Neck pain is usually just transient, but if not treated properly, it can become chronic.
Some common causes of neck pain include:
- Bad posture
- Stress
- Muscle tension
- Osteoarthritis
- A compressed nerve
- Fibromyalgia
- Bad sleeping position
- Muscle strain caused by prolonged periods of smartscreen or computer use
- Injury to spinal cord
- Anxiety or depression
How to Cure Neck Pain Fast? Remedies to Get Relief
It’s no surprise that so many of us spend the majority of our days staring at computers or down at our smartphones.
Try these basic neck stiffness treatments for minor, frequent causes of neck pain.
Always Remember – Any neck pain or stiffness should be checked by a physician. It’s critical to rule out any possible injuries or illnesses.
Before attempting any methods on your own, always get expert medical guidance. You can consult with the best orthopedists near you via Healthwire.pk.
1- Apply Heat or Ice
Ice and heat can be used to assist relax a strained or torn muscle and allow it to heal. They can provide pain relief for an overworked area of your body, such as the neck, in a timely manner.
Heat to Get Rid of Stiff Neck
Heat relieves pain by increasing blood flow to the area and releasing muscles. It’s a fantastic method to loosen up a stiff neck.
To build a nice heat pack, follow these steps:
- Warm up some water (but don’t let it get too hot).
- In warm water, fully wet your towel.
- Ring it out a little, so that the towel doesn’t drip all over you.
- To fit the towel around your shoulders, fold it in half.
- Relax.
- If necessary, repeat the process when the towel has cooled.
Note: Heat should not be used for the first 48 hours after an accident.
Ice to Get Rid of Stiff Neck
Ice is another good idea to reduce neck swelling and inflammation.
There are two excellent methods for icing your neck:
1st Method – When the damp towel you used for your heat compress has cooled down, place it in a sealable bag and freeze for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove it from the freezer and wear it around your neck.
Keep in mind that there should be a layer of skin between the cold compress and your skin.
2nd Method – The ancient “ice-in-the-bag” method is another way to ice your tight neck. Take a gallon freezer bag and fill it with ice cubes. Fill it halfway with water and seal it, making sure to squeeze out the air as you go. Wrap the bag in a moist towel and use it around your stiff neck.
CAUTION: If you have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes or deep vein thrombosis, you should not use a cold compress to relieve pain.
You can also use a combination of heat and ice for releasing tight muscles and alleviating pain. This dynamic couple collaborates to achieve the following goals.
- Reduce stiffness
- Reduce the amount of inflammation
- Relieve pain
2- Perform Stretches – Another Neck Stiffness Treatment
Another key to alleviate a stiff neck is adequate stretching and manipulation. Neck muscles can be gently stretched by doing gentle range-of-motion movements up and down, side to side, and from ear to ear.
Some specialised stretches that you can do at your workplace or in the drive to avoid a stiff neck include:
- Roll your shoulders backwards and down – 10 times.
- Count to ten while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Hold your head back in your car’s headrest or in your hands for 30 seconds.
- 10 times on each side, bring your ear to your shoulder.
- Certain yoga poses can also aid in the reduction of stiffness.
3- Get A Massage
How to cure neck pain fast? A massage is a good approach to relieve neck stiffness and pain.
Massage therapists have extensive training and knowledge of the human body and know how to improve its function. A massage therapist can work on your stiff muscles and loosen them giving you relief from neck pain.
If you have a massage, make sure to drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins that are released while your muscles are being massaged.
Also know about head massage benefits.
4- Limit Physical Activity That Bothers Your Neck
Physical activity – and the intensity of that activity – can sometimes cause neck pain.
If your neck pain starts after engaging in vigorous physical activity, you should avoid or limit that activity until your stiffness subsides.
In addition, if you have neck discomfort or stiffness, restrict the amount of heavy lifting you perform because this can quickly aggravate your tight muscles.
5- Try Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a technique for relieving stress, tension, and pain by inserting needles into certain pressure points on the body. It’s a type of traditional Chinese medicine that’s been around for a long time!
Some scientists believe acupuncture can activate our bodies’ inherent painkillers, while others say it’s only a placebo effect. Acupuncture, on the other hand, remains a popular holistic therapy option around the world.
You can try the benefits of acupuncture to get relief from neck pain or stiffness.
Acupuncture is generally safe, however seeking professional help is essential. Only see a board-certified practitioner, and make sure the needles are sterilised completely.
6- Take Over-The-Counter Medicines
Over-the-counter pain medications can also help lessen general pain and inflammation in the body. This is another answer to your question, ‘How to cure neck pain fast?’.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) are a type of over-the-counter pain treatment for neck stiffness. Ibuprofen and naproxen sodium are two common NSAIDs.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is another over-the-counter pain reliever, but while it can ease pain, it does not have anti-inflammatory qualities.
Always take them as prescribed by your doctor or as directed on the bottle. Moreover, over-the-counter pain medicines can cause stomach distress, nausea, and diarrhoea.
Some Tips to Prevent Neck Stiffness
You can also prevent neck stiffness by making some lifestyle changes and breaking some bad habits.
Tips to prevent neck stiffness that I practised and found effective include:
- Reduce stress – Listen to some music or perform meditation
- Get physical
- Limit your smartphone exposure
- Take breaks when driving for long periods of time
- Adapt healthy sleeping positions
- Make healthy changes to your workplace – use a comfortable chair, move every hour to loosen up etc.
