Getting Rid of a Stiff Neck
I woke up with a stiff
neck this morning; ick. But after taking certain actions I am nearly pain-free less than 12 hours later. The following is how I relieved this
uncomfortable, painful problem, and hopefully this information will be
helpful to others. I am a massage therapist and help people everyday who
are in pain. Today I was given the mixed blessing to work my
professional know-how on myself. I've learned new things, and reinforced
the efficacy of others.
(Please note: I hope this information is helpful
to you, but I cannot guarantee results, and please use your common sense
in ensuring your own safety and well-being. (If you have other symptoms
beyond just mild-moderate neck pain on one side and are concerned,
check the National Institute of Health site.))
Stiff Neck Onset & Symptoms
 |
| What a pain in the neck! says Lauren. |
As in most cases, the onset of my stiff neck began a couple days
ago, but other than slightly
reduced range of motion, and vague stiffness on one side, I felt
no discomfort. But this morning the monster awoke and
unleashed its wrath. Upon opening my eyes, I
could feel the
classic symptoms of a stiff neck: constant dull pain,
focused on one side, and increasing to sudden, exquisite stabs of pain
with certain movements. At its
worst, a stiff neck hurts despite any movement, and the goal becomes to
find the least painful position for your neck.
5 Steps to a Happier Neck
Luckily, there are some quick and easy steps you can take
to work through and minimize a stiff neck. But keep in mind
- There is no silver bullet - you can recover from a stiff, painful
neck sooner by taking action right away, but you will likely still feel
mild discomfort or reduced range of motion for a couple days before full recovery, and
- Different things work for different people - I am a licensed massage
therapist and am presenting my viewpoint. You might find completely
different resolutions to a stiff neck. Please feel free to comment with your methods.
Ok, you wake up with a painful and stiff neck, what to do?
In
general, think "Moderate Your Stress, Increase Your Circulation." Keep in mind, by
moderating your (sense of) stress, your body will automatically
increase circulation. The first four suggestions
should take
30-45 minutes to complete. The fifth suggestion is equally important and is dedicated to whatever you like to do to reduce stress, be it get bodywork, hike or go for a swim, etc. The last 2 'bonus' suggestions are quick and easy to incorporate, and will help your neck feel better, but less directly than the other 5 points.
- 1) Therapeutic Exercises (8-12 minutes): move your neck in tiny, gentle,
discreet contractions, using your hands to push against. Do the same for
shoulders, scrunching them up and rolling them forwards and backwards,
slowly and rhythmically. I recommend this video from Dr. Ben Benjamin. *** Note the
model in the video does not have a stiff neck. Move slowly,
cautiously and push very gently. But DO follow along, it is a very
worthwhile eight minutes of your time. ***
- 2) Cold pack (10-15 minutes): At first, it might seem more
comforting to reach for the hot pack or take a hot shower, but instead
use a cold pack. The cold will slow down the muscle spindle - the part
of the muscle that causes contractions (and thus spasms). It
doesn't have to be icy or numbing. A gel pack wrapped in a towel will
feel comforting and provide relief. Please refer to my earlier blog on
'Hydrotherapy Part I' and Hydroptherapy Part II for more information, including on the use of both
hot and cold therapy.
- 3) Conscious Breathing (8-12 minutes): Spend a few minutes focusing on your
breath. Breathe into your ribcage and focus on mobilizing your ribs. Several neck and
shoulder muscles are attached to your ribs and will benefit from this. Let your lungs gently fill and push your ribcage outward in
all directions. Keep your belly soft and allow it to expand gently as
well. Begin with expanding your ribcage to the front (4-5 breaths), then
to the back (imagine breathing into your spine - 4-5 breaths). If it's hard to feel movement, place a hand
where you want the movement to be. Also, imagine you can feel movement
where you want it to be. Next, focus on your ribcage expanding sideways (4-5
times). Do not force your breathing, but rather let it grow and increase
gently. (Your neck vertebrae are directly connected to your lungs via
ligaments). Then relax your focus and breath normally, feeling for the
change in your awareness and breathing.
- 4) Apply Topical analgesic (2-3 minutes) - I like Tiger Balm
(available in many grocery stores), Sombra (available online or through
practitioners, and Zheng Gu Shui (available online and through
practitioners). If you don't like the smell or feel of camphor,
Topricin, Traumeel and Arnica gels are also very effective. Give
yourself some self-massage for a few minutes but don't overwork your muscles, you might just bruise the already irritated tissue.
These first four suggestions can be accomplished in about a half
hour or forty-five minutes. They should be helpful, if anything hurts, then stop. And though you may be busy,
it's better to take action sooner than later. Repeat at end of day and the following morning. The last suggestion is also
important, but may not be as easy to squeeze into a full schedule. But
if that is the case, then it may be an indication that it is exactly what is most needed.
Step 5 warrants a post all its own. Check it out here.
