How Do You Relieve Neck Pain?

Woman holding the back of her neck in pain

Experiencing neck pain can make it hard to sleep, exercise, focus, and other everyday activities. Your first instinct is to rub the area that is in pain, but if that helps, it only helps for a short period of time. What you really need is a long-term solution to eliminate the pain and understanding what caused it in the first place.

Sometimes the pain can be related to strained muscles or being in one position for too long. The pain may feel dull and come out of nowhere and cause you to feel sharp pain. Car accidents and exercise-related injuries are also common reasons people develop this type of pain.

How Do You Loosen Tight Neck Muscles?

Loosening tight neck muscles is accomplished in several different ways. If your neck is feeling stiff, try taking a warm relaxing shower or bath. Afterward, you can massage the muscles in your neck and shoulders. Giving yourself a face and scalp massage can also aid in loosening up the surrounding muscles.

Getting a family member or spouse to help you massage your upper back may allow for more pressure than your own reach allows. After the massage, you could try several different stretches.

Here are several stretches you can try:

Side-to-side- While seated in a chair, tilt your head to the right side. Take your left arm and place it from behind your back onto your right temple. Hold it for 10 seconds and do the same with the left side.
Chin to chest- Bend your chin down to your chest for 5 seconds. Interlace your fingers and hands together and gently place them at the back of your head. Let your arms hang in that position for 10 seconds. Be sure you ease up on the pressure if you start to feel any pain.
Lateral Scapula stretch- While standing, bend your right arm up and place your elbow and forearm on the wall. Keeping your gaze forward, begin to turn your chin down and to the left. Hold for 10 seconds and reverse sides.
Upper trapezius- While seated, take your left arm and put it behind your back. Place the back of your hand in between the lower half of your shoulder blades. Take the right arm, bring it over your head and rest your hand on the upper part of your shoulder blades. Hold this for 5-10 seconds. Then switch arms.
Bridge- While laying on your back, make a bridge pose, lifting your pelvis upwards. While keeping your pelvis in this position, bring your hands together on the ground underneath your back. While holding this stretch for 10 seconds, interlace your fingers and tilt your chin towards your toes.

Once you have completed a few stretches, you may want to apply some type of muscle cream. Camphor and menthol are ingredients included in many muscle and joint pain-relieving products. These balms provide a cooling sensation that helps soothe tired joints and sore muscles.

What Is The Best Exercise For Neck Pain?

The average human head weighs 10-11 pounds. The muscles often grow weary from carrying that weight and enduring repetitive motions. Strengthening your neck can prevent further injury or injury at all. Poor posture also causes the surrounding muscle groups to overcompensate. This leads to muscle strains, spinal issues, and a weak core. These are some engaging exercises to strengthen your core as well as your neck:

Cobra- Lying on your belly, you slowly lift into a pushup position with just your arm while your legs and thighs are flat on the ground. Lock your elbow in so your arms are straight, and slowly lift your chin to the ceiling. Repeat this posture three times.
Double Chin tuck- Facing forward in a seated or standing position, bring your neck back until you are making a double chin expression. Hold this for 5 seconds and release. Try this 3-5 times.
Resistance bands- Using resistance in front of you, bring your arms in front of your chest. Pull bands apart until your arms are almost making a “T” shape. Do 15 repetitions.

How Should I Sleep With Neck Pain?

Sleeping on your back is the best position when dealing with pain. Getting a supportive pillow will help your neck. Some people also find sleeping on your back more comfortable when they put pillows on each side of them and a small one under their knees.

If you do not find sleeping on your back comfortable, you could try sleeping on your side. More than half of all people sleep on their side. Side sleeping is good if you have a firm, supportive mattress and pillow. Sleeping with a pillow supporting your lumbar area of your lower back decreases pain as well as a pillow in between your knees. It’s most comfortable if this pillow also supports your ankles as well.

How Long Does A Stiff Neck Last?

The time period in which a stiff neck lasts depends on if you are still doing the behavior that created it. Evaluating your posture and habits may give you the opportunity to pinpoint what is causing your stiffness. Many people spend a great deal of time staring or reading screens. This posture can cause you to develop a stiff neck.

If you have changed your posture and tried to relieve it with relaxation measures and still found no relief, it’s best to contact your doctor. Your doctor will be able to rule out any medical reasons and refer you to a specialist if needed. Your medical provider will also prescribe you with anti-inflammatory medications or muscle relaxers if they are medically necessary.

Can Neck Pain Be A Sign Of Something Serious?

Neck pains can be a sign of something more serious. If you find that you experience no relief with any of the above suggestions, you should certainly contact your physician. Meningitis is a serious bacterial infection where the fluid in the brain's protective layers becomes inflamed. This causes stiffening of the neck, nausea, headaches, and fever. Your doctors will be able to rule out this and any other serious illness.

When Should I Worry About Neck Pain?

Worrying never does anyone much good. Taking action to address symptoms should result in some relief. If you fail to experience any relief after several days of trying different things, you should contact your provider. In addition to neck pain, these are some other symptoms to look out for in which you should contact your doctor or go to the emergency room:

If pain intensifies to excruciating levels.
You develop a headache
High fever
Numbness in limbs
Spreads to other parts of the body
You start twitching
Vomiting

Causes Of Neck Pain

There are many causes of neck pain. Some experience soreness after physical activity, while others lack supportive posture. Your neck plays a vital role in supporting your head and the motion of surrounding body parts. Neck pain or stiffness may be the result of injury or overuse. It’s important to support and care for your neck so these pains won’t develop into chronic conditions.