Neck pain is pain and stiffness in the neck, which often reaches the shoulders, shoulder blades or the back of the head. In most people the cause is tense muscles from sitting at a computer, using a phone or sleeping in an awkward position. When you can’t turn your head in the morning, that’s what people call a stiff neck. It usually passes within a few days to 2–3 weeks.
Symptoms
- Pain in the neck that gets worse when you hold your head in one position for long.
- Difficulty turning or tilting your head, sometimes only to one side.
- Tight, painful muscles in the neck and shoulders.
- A headache that starts at the back of the head and reaches the forehead or eyes (a headache from the neck).
- Clicking or grinding when you move, usually harmless.
- Sometimes pain towards the shoulder blade or shoulder.
A stiff neck usually comes on suddenly, after sleep or a sudden movement, and is worst in the first 1–2 days. Pain that builds up slowly over weeks is more often linked to posture and work. If it hurts on one side only and the pain reaches the shoulder blade, it most often comes from the muscles or from the small joints between the vertebrae.
Why it happens
- Your head tilted forward towards a screen or phone for hours.
- Sleeping on a high pillow or on your front, with your head turned to one side.
- Stress and a clenched jaw, which keep the muscles of the neck and shoulders tense.
- Weak muscles in the neck and upper back.
- A heavy bag on one shoulder, or working with your arms raised.
- Wear of the vertebrae and discs over the years (cervical spondylosis, also called osteochondrosis).
- A sudden movement or a blow, for example in a car accident (whiplash).
How we treat it
Kaloyan checks how your neck moves in different directions, feels the muscles and asks about headaches and numbness in your arms. If there is numbness, he also checks strength and reflexes, because then a nerve is probably irritated. For muscle pain he usually starts with a partial body massage of the neck and shoulders, which relaxes the tight muscles. When the tension covers your whole back, he suggests a full-body therapeutic massage.
For stiff vertebrae, Kaloyan adds manual therapy: gentle mobilisation by hand, with no sudden jerks. Kinesio taping supports the muscles between visits and reminds you to keep your head upright. Most people need 2–5 visits, and the neck loosens up faster than the pain goes away. Kaloyan also shows you a few exercises for the neck and posture that take only a little time each day. If headaches are a frequent part of your complaints, he also works on the muscles at the back of the head and the upper back. If you work at a desk, he will also ask how your workstation is set up.
What you can do yourself
- Raise your screen and phone to eye level.
- Take short breaks from the screen and move your shoulders.
- Choose a pillow that keeps your neck straight when you lie on one side.
- Heat relaxes a stiff neck: a warm shower or a heat pad for a short time.
- Move your head gently in the directions that don’t hurt. Staying completely still makes it take longer to loosen up.
When to see a doctor first
Most neck pain passes without problems. See a doctor first if:
- the pain started after a car accident, a fall or a blow to the head;
- your arm goes numb or weak, or you drop things;
- you have a severe headache and a fever, and your neck is stiff when you try to touch your chest with your chin;
- you get dizziness, double vision, slurred speech or trouble swallowing;
- the pain doesn’t ease at night either, or you lose weight for no reason.
