Stiff neck – A Real Pain in the Neck

Healthy Living
Common Ailments

Looking at someone turning the whole body when only a slight turn of neck is needed can make you smile or laugh. But if you have ever experienced a stiff neck – you will sure feel the pain of that person and refrain from doing that.

Interestingly, neck pain is a fairly common condition. A study of adults in Saskatchewan found that the annual incidence is 15% and that women were 1.67 times more likely than men to develop a neck pain [Cote et al, 2004]. According to this study about 15-37% people are likely to have repeated episodes and may need advanced treatment by specialists.

Causes:

Stiff neck can happen due to different causes; and symptoms vary accordingly. To diagnose rare causes, some tests may be required.

The most common cause of acute stiff neck is a condition called torticollis or wryneck. This may be the result of:

• Sleeping the wrong way, maybe a new pillow, or after drinking too much.

• Sudden jerking of the neck.

• Stress, anxiety or depression can stiffen the neck muscles and cause them to spasm.

• Exposure to cold winds and freezing weather.

However, in some people, no cause is apparent; they just wake up with the condition. In straightforward, acute torticollis, there are no other symptoms. In case there are other symptoms present, there may be some underlying causes including:

• Meningitis

• Neck Spine injury

• Neck gland infection

• Slipped disc in the neck spine

• Spasmodic torticollis

A word of caution

A stiff neck could be an indicator of a serious problem.

If there are any “red flags” such as fever, tingling, numbness or shooting pains down the limbs, dizziness, blackouts, problems with walking, continuous pain, swollen neck glands etc., it may be a warning sign of some more serious disease. Seek a doctors advise without delay.

Exercise extreme caution in the following cases:

► If children have stiff neck accompanied with fever, headache and irritability. It could be the fatal bacterial meningitis. You must seek immediate medical assistance.

► In older persons, a stiff neck may indicate a stroke, especially in the arteries that travel along the spine. However, in seniors, neck stiffness is often caused by degeneration of the spine, thinning of the bones, collapse of the vertebrae and similar conditions – all of which come under one category – Cervical Spondylosis.

► Neck stiffness after an accident or a sport injury could be more serious than what it seems. X-Rays and scans may be needed. A stiff neck after a car accident may be due to a condition called “whiplash”. This is so called because the spine may move to and fro like a whip, causing damage to the ligaments and discs. Sometimes, the pain and stiffness persist for a long time. In Canada, more than 50% of accident victims report chronic pain [Ferrari and Russell, 1999]

Cures:

The common wryneck settles within a week or two on its own. A gentle massage, stretching, physiotherapy, some rest, and avoidance of heavy lifting for a while, will see you fit and well in a few days.

However, a visit to your doctor may be necessary to rule out any nasty conditions if the symptoms persist, are unbearable or become worse over time. People with repeated episodes of neck stiffness need to be carefully investigated to find out the cause.

Treatment is based on the specific cause. For example, if a slipped disc is found, surgery may be the option. However, if there is no apparent cause, following may be the options to treat the symptoms:

1. Massage: This is effective therapy, borne out in clinical trials. Ayurvedic massage with medicated oils is especially beneficial.

2. Acupuncture: A quick relief is assured. However, there are not enough evidences to support its long-term benefits.

3. Chiropractic: This is a popular option. A number of methods are used, including manipulation of the spine, which must be carried out with due precautions.

In addition, psychotherapy, behaviour modification, anti-depressant medication, muscle relaxants and various stress reduction methods may be prescribed by medical experts depending on the underlying cause.

Home Remedies:

As we know pain in the neck happens at most odd hours and in most unexpected situations, here are a few suggestions to tackle it on your own:

• Take a long hot shower

• Hold tight the main neck muscles and squeeze a few times

• Stretch the neck in all directions without exerting undue pressure

• A moist hot compress with a towel brings relief

• Pop in a pain killer pill if you can tolerate it. Its action on inflammation will relieve pain.

Prevention:

Pain in the neck can be more frustrating than it looks. So, it makes sense to avoid it by making some lifestyle modifications. Following are some suggestions for prevention:

• Improve posture.

• Invest in a good mattress and pillows.

• Do isotonic exercises to strengthen the upper neck muscles.

• Use ergonomic furniture while working – especially if your work is involves long working hours at computer.

• Avoid stress. Do relaxing exercises.

• Increase your neck flexibility by doing neck movement exercise and put your neck through the full range of movements.

• Reduce exposure to cold drafts.