Ways to Relieve Acute Pain from Crick in Neck
Sprained Ligaments, Stiff Muscles Usual Culprit for Common Ailment
The culprit on those unpleasant mornings is commonly known as a “crick in the neck” and is usually caused by “sleeping on it wrong.” There’s a little more to fixing the common malady than just “sleeping on it right,” however.
The cause of the crick is disputed; it could be stiff or strained muscles or sprained ligaments. The way to tell is to stretch one’s neck. If careful, gentle stretching causes the pain to lessen, stiff neck, shoulder or upper back muscles are the culprit. If the stretching causes even sharper pain, blame it on an overstretched ligament and stop stretching.
Sprained Ligaments
Doug Kelsey, who writes “The View,” a blog for a Sports Center Physical Therapy publication, says that when the neck is bent to one side for an extended period of time, the muscles and ligaments stretch and can keep stretching to the point of tearing. The tear can be mild or severe, and the resulting pain and limited motion can last for a day or so or up to two weeks.
The tearing of the ligament, either the capsular or the annular ligament, causes the surrounding tissue to swell, which makes movement difficult. The inflammation causes the body to be more sensitive, so when the injured person tries to move his or her head, it hurts.
Ways to Treat Sprained Neck Ligaments
Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medication such as Aleve and Ibuprofen can help reduce swelling and decrease pain, but the neck is not healed just because the drugs knocked out the pain. Applying ice packs or heating pads to the injured ligament also will help reduce inflammation.
Easing up on heavy exercise and lifting and using slow, controlled and well-supported movements will help protect the injured ligament until it’s back to normal. Do not stretch it, Kelsey warned. He challenged readers to imagine stretching a sprained ankle, which could do more damage and would hurt a lot. Appropriate treatment will get rid of the sprained ligament.
Stiff Neck Muscles
The pain could be stiff muscles, often caused primarily by sitting at a computer all day, lifting heavy objects or other lifestyle choices. Too much strain on the muscle because of unusual sleeping positions will then take the problem from bad to worse. According to the Back & Neck Pain Community, taking some extra care to ensure one is “sleeping right” can help the situation.
- Don’t use too many pillows. This puts the head and neck in an awkward position and cause the neck muscle to spasm.
- Don’t sleep on the stomach. Sleeping on one’s back is better for the neck.
- Sleep with a pillow under the knees, which takes some pressure off the lower back.
- Find a good pillow that supports the neck, back and shoulders.
Ways to Treat a Stiff Neck
Take a hot shower, allowing the heat to soothe some of the tension in the muscles, and do some stretches to make the neck muscles more flexible. Stop stretching when it becomes painful, and limit range of motion if the neck muscles are straining too much to complete them. Do several repetitions of each stretch.
Good neck stretches, according to Arc4Life, are:
- Tuck the chin in and attempt to touch the chest with the chin. Then gently bend the head backward as far as it will comfortably go.
- Looking ahead, slowly bring the right ear as close to the right shoulder as possible. Switch sides, bringing the left ear to the left shoulder. Do not rotate the head. This will hurt if done with a crick in the neck, so be prepared and careful.
- Turn the head to the right as far as possible, bringing the chin over the shoulder. Hold the head in place for three to five seconds, then do the same on the left side.
- Stand with feet comfortably apart and place the hands behind the head. Bend from side to side, bending only the upper back area, not the waist or hips. Hold for three to five seconds, then perform on the other side.
- Stand with feet apart and clasp the hands behind the back, then pull downward to the floor with the hands. Take a deep breath in, stand on the toes and look at the ceiling while pulling down. Hold for three to five seconds, then release.
Whatever the cause, one thing is sure – it’s a real pain in the neck.
- “The View.” Doug Kelsey, a Sports Center Physical Therapy Publication. Oct. 30, 2005.
- “What position do you sleep in to make your neck hurt in the morning?” The Back & Neck Pain Community, Sept. 30, 2008.
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