Stiff Neck, and How to cure it.

Don’t keep the same posture for a long time,

it will build-up fatigue and generates a stiff neck.

Lack of exercise is also one of the reason that causes stiff neck.

Study all about body’s pains in order to manage them properly.

Image from Eagle Product,
for illustration purpose only.

Muscle Fatigue / Stiffness:

Healthy muscle have an adequate level of elasticity, which is provided by smooth circulation of water and blood in the cell, if we keep the same posture for a long time, it will build up fatigue, blood circulation becomes stagnant / become diminished because the blood vessel are compressed, so that fatigue substances will be collected, causes the muscle to become rigid, this rigidity of the muscle is called Muscle Stiffness, muscle stiffness in the shoulder is called Stiff Neck.

Mechanism of Stiff Neck:

The muscle and bones of the neck have to support the weight of the head and every turn the head will make, stiff neck is a tightness or rigidity in the muscle supporting the neck, the neck rigidity refers to a stiffness that prevents bending of the neck and limits movement of the neck, in normal muscles, fatigue substances such as Lactic acid [exercise and lactate] which have been accumulated in the muscle are degraded by Oxygen [O₂] in the blood, muscle in the shoulder region, in particular, which sling the shoulder blades and support the arms and the hands easily become strained or stretched and are easy to be affected by stress, if shoulder muscles are rigid and collect fatigue substances they irritate the nerves, causing pain called stiff neck, it can occur by itself or together with neck pain, this neck pain may come from any structure of the neck, includes the vertebrae and muscle of the upper back, the blood vessel of the neck, and the lymph nodes in the neck, Stiff neck can be simply a mild discomfort and slight problem in moving the neck, but it can also be severe pain and the inability to move or bend the neck at all, any type of injury or illness can result in a stiff neck, person who has stiff neck may move the neck more slowly and carefully, stiff neck can also lead to strained of ligaments, and pain travels from the neck into the back and arms.

Symptoms of Stiff Neck :

1. Mild: causing a slight problem in moving or turning the head and neck.
2. Severe: causing great difficulty in moving, turning, or bending the neck.

Causes of Stiff neck:

The cause of stiff neck can very greatly:

• Sleeping on a pillow the wrong way [funny sleeping position].
• Neck sprain, which may be accompanied by pain, slight swelling, and restricted range of motion.
• Stress which can cause the neck muscles become tighten and stiff.
• Sudden turn of the neck.
• Torticollis [*], a deformity of the neck caused by a shortening of the neck muscles, this condition causes the head to tilt / move to the affected side with the chin pointing to the other side.
• Injury due to an accident.
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage [**], or bleeding into the space surrounding the brain.
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Cervical arthritis [***], an inflammatory condition affecting the upper spine and possibly other parts of the body.
• Ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammation and inability to move some of the upper vertebrae, often caused by arthritis.
• Meningitis, a viral or bacterial infection affecting the membranes surrounding the spinal cord and brain.
• Encephalitis, a serious inflammation affecting the brain.

[*] Torticollis is a contracture of one of the muscles that allow the head to move, in most cases, the torticollis is unilateral, that is, it provokes an inclination of the head on the right or left side and it is impossible to turn the head.
There are 3 main causes: sleeping in a bad position, a localized chill or a brusque rotation movement. If not treated, the torticollis can become chronic and lead to a permanently poor and unattractive posture that is a source of pain and discomfort.

[**] Subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel just outside the brain ruptures. The area of the skull surrounding the brain (the subarachnoid space) rapidly fills with blood. A patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage may have a sudden, intense headache, neck pain, and nausea or vomiting. Sometimes this is described as the worst headache of one's life. The sudden buildup of pressure outside the brain may also cause rapid loss of consciousness or death.

[***] Cervical arthritis is a type of arthritis that affects the upper spine causing pain in the neck. Over time the pain may spread to the arms. age, injury and poor posture play a role in who develops this disease.

The cervical spine consists of seven distinct vertebral bodies that are separated by inter-vertebral discs. These discs support the neck while giving it flexibility. Cervical arthritis is caused when the cervical vertebrae in the neck deteriorate accompanied by the deterioration of the cartilage that provides shock absorption, these changes gradually constrict the space in the vertebra, which causes extreme neck pain.

Prevent from Stiff Neck:

1. Keep a good posture / staying fit: avoid a posture where possible that causes the shoulder or the neck to be strained, alternatively, take a good posture which lets your back to be naturally stretched, if we have kept the same posture at work or do hand-work for hours or more, take a rest from time to time to relax by turning arms and neck, so if we work behind a desk or computer all day long, we will get back pain and neck pain, a solution to this problem is that use a chair with a proper back and neck rest so that strain to these muscles can be minimized, by standing and stretching for just a few seconds every hour and taking a walk during our lunch break, we are providing ourselves with the key for reducing back pain and neck pain, another alternative method that can be taken is stand with one foot on a small stool, interchange the feet after every five to fifteen minutes while keeping our back and neck straight and the head and hips aligned correctly, this will help to relieve back pain and neck pain by keeping the pressure off the back and neck and will help if we have to stand for a long period of time, this method can be done at home as well as at the office to help relieve the pain.
2. Exercise to strengthen the muscles: exercises should be carried out to keep the muscle of the neck stronger and more resistant to injury, lack of exercise is also one of the cause of stiff neck, strengthen the muscles by cultivating a habit of taking moderate exercise, sports such as aerobic, swimming, tennis, that cause various parts of the body to move is desirable, even is a must, make sure that we intend to beat at the very root cause of the back pain and neck pain, which might even mean having to reduce weight, strengthening our muscles and also maintaining the correct posture and positions especially when standing, sitting as well as when sleeping.
3. Take good measures to cope with stress: stiff neck is easily caused by strong mental stress as well as physical strain, so take a secure place where we can relax in our everyday life, an easy going life.
4. Avoid as much any accidents at anywhere: driving carefully etc.
5. Seeking immediate medical care for major injury: using precautions when a person has been injured to decrease the likelihood of further injury.
6. Avoid exposure to someone who has meningitis.

How to cure Stiff Neck:

• Wrong sleeping: change or use different pillow for night sleeping.
• Injury: physical therapy, pain medication, a hot or cold packs to reduce pain and stiffness, some injuries may be treated with a cervical collar to help support the head, surgery or traction may be necessary to treat injuries or to relieve pressure on the neck or brain.
• Stress: counseling to learn stress management techniques.
• Bacterial / viral Infection: emergency care and hospitalization

Also Read: related articles:

All about Body Pains

Trigeminal Neuralgia, Select the most suitable healing method.

Sciatica, a nerve pain potentially reduces the quality of life.

How to avoid Muscle Cramps, the most common muscle ache symptoms.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the most common nerve problem affected person's hand