How do stiff necks happen

Stiff Neck Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment. You are here Video. Stiff Neck Symptoms and Causes Animation. Rarely, neck pain can be a symptom of a more serious problem.

Seek medical care if your neck pain is accompanied by numbness or loss of strength in your arms or hands or if you have shooting pain into your shoulder or down your arm. Seek immediate care if severe neck pain results from an injury, such as a motor vehicle accident, diving accident or fall. Your neck is flexible and supports the weight of your head, so it can be vulnerable to injuries and conditions that cause pain and restrict motion. Neck pain causes include:. Most neck pain is associated with poor posture combined with age-related wear and tear.

To help prevent neck pain, keep your head centered over your spine. Some simple changes in your daily routine may help. Watch: Neck Strains and Sprains Video. Most people are familiar with the pain and inconvenience of a stiff neck, whether it appeared upon waking up one morning or perhaps developed later in the day after some strenuous activity, such as moving furniture.

In most cases, pain and stiffness go away naturally within a week. However, how an individual manages and cares for the stiff neck symptoms can affect pain levels, recovery time, and the likelihood of whether it will return. By far the most common cause of a stiff neck is a muscle strain or soft tissue sprain. In particular, the levator scapulae muscle is susceptible to injury. This muscle is controlled by the third and fourth cervical nerves C3, C4.

Watch Cervical Muscle Anatomy Animation. The levator scapulae muscle may be strained throughout the course of many common, everyday activities, such as:. The cause of the stiff neck may be obvious if symptoms start right away, such as after falling during a sporting event. Some examples include ibuprofen and naproxen, which can reduce swelling and relieve pain. If a person has a health condition and is taking other medications, they should ask a doctor before using NSAIDs. Stretch the neck muscles by gently and slowly moving the head from side to side.

Roll the shoulders forward and backward. Stop if the stretches cause pain. Sometimes, a mattress that is too firm or not supportive enough can cause neck pain.

A pillow that is the incorrect size or firmness may also cause a stiff neck. The head, neck, and back should be in an aligned position during sleep. The pillows that a person uses should suit their sleeping position. A firmer, larger pillow may work well for side sleepers. Back sleepers may need a flatter pillow that supports the head and neck without forcing them into a forward position. Slouching can gradually pull the neck muscles and cause stiffness and pain.

A person should focus on keeping the shoulders, neck, and back in a straight line throughout the day. Wearing a posture-correcting device may help, as can setting reminders and alarms on a cell phone or computer. Ongoing stiffness in the neck accompanied by a headache or jaw pain upon waking can be a sign of nighttime teeth grinding , or bruxism.

A dentist can check the teeth for signs of wear from grinding, and they may look at the alignment of the jaw. Some people wear a custom-made teeth guard at night to protect the teeth from further damage. This may also alleviate pressure on the jaw and neck muscles. A licensed massage therapist may help provide relief from tense, sore muscles.

Although research has not yet proven that massage is effective, a study from found that massage did improve pain for people with neck arthritis.