How Does Neck Stiffness Occur?
It is quite likely that at least once in your life, you have suffered from extreme neck pain or stiff neck regardingless of what your profession is. The reasons can range from muscle tension, back strain, bad sleeping posture, long hours of sitting to being glued to your smartphone. The worst part is that constant neck pain and stiffness can become a real hindrance in leading your life comfortably.
While a lot of people turn to back and neck massages to ease pain or manage it better, certain studies have come in support of acupuncture to get rid of neck and back spasms.
Some of the most common causes of neck pain are:
- Poor sitting posture
- Prolonged sitting
- Sprain in the neck
- Poor sleeping position
- Lack of exercise
- Poor eating habits
- Bad exercising posture
- Whiplash (Sudden Jolt to the Neck)
- Pinched Nerve
- Stress and Tension
What are the symptoms of a stiff neck?
A stiff neck causes a restriction in the movements of your neck, often limited by pain. This restriction is often more on one side of your neck than the other. Other symptoms include:
- Decreased ability to move your head
- Headache
- Muscle tightness and spasms
- Pain that’s often worsened by holding your head in one place for long periods, such as when driving or working at a computer
- Numbness
- Tingling /pins and needles
Such pain could also come from common infections, such as virus infection of the throat, leading to lymph node (gland) swelling and pain. It may also come from rare infections, such as tuberculosis of the neck, infection of the spine bones in the neck, and meningitis (often accompanied by neck stiffness).
Try Proven Remedies as mentioned below to Relieve Neck Pain
When similar symptoms of soreness and stiffness appear in the neck, proper functional exercise and rest should be done properly.
At the same time, you can seek the help of a qualified physician to apply acupuncture, massage, scraping, hot compress and other Chinese medicine to relieve local symptoms.
First of all, the stiffness of the neck is on the muscles, but over time it will affect our cervical spine, nerve roots, vertebral arteries, and even the spinal cord.
* When to See a Doctor for a Stiff Neck
If a stiff neck has not shown improvement after a week, it should be checked by a doctor. Also, regardless of how long it has lasted, a stiff neck accompanied by any red flag symptoms—such as a fever, headache, nausea or vomiting, or unexplained sleepiness—should be seen by a medical professional immediately.
