This might be the cause of your stiff neck

Living with pain is never easy. Especially when the pain is in your back or in your neck, it seems to constantly affect the activities of your day to day life. Pain isn’t the only symptom that can put a damper on your life, but also, experiencing the correlating back and neck stiffness can make it even more difficult to live with. Typically, neck stiffness is accompanied by difficulty with turning of one’s head, soreness, headaches, and even shoulder or arm pain. If you are enduring neck stiffness, you may be wondering why, and what you can do about it… We’re going to talk about a few of the common reasons behind a stiff neck, and what you can do to alleviate the discomfort.

Sprain or injury

One of the most common reasons for a stiff neck is because of a tissue sprain or muscle strain. Usually, the levator scapulae muscle is most susceptible to these types of injuries. Various activities can be the culprit of this type of injury, including:

• Sleeping or sitting with your neck in an unnatural position for a long amount of time
• Sleeping with too many pillows, or too flat of a pillow
• Sudden or abrupt impact that forces the head to the side
• Turning the head to abruptly from side to side
• Whiplash
• Sport’s injuries

Stress or anxiety

Excessive levels of stress or anxiety can also lead to stiffness in the neck. Unfortunately, lowering your stress and anxiety levels is easier said than done. You can try to manage your stress by researching and trying out a few various techniques. Try to consistently practice proper breathing exercises and stretching exercises to try and relax the muscles in your neck throughout the day. Depending on the severity of your pain and stiffness you may need to find a Plano physical therapist.

Poor posture

Poor posture or even looking down for a long amount of time, for example, on your smart phone or tablet can lead to neck stiffness as well. Try to avoid poor posture and prolonged awkward positions of the neck. If you are in a position where you are required to look at computer or tablet for too long, remember to practice relaxation exercises throughout the time you are doing so.

NeuroSpine Surgical Consultants has everything you need under one roof, from diagnosticians, surgeons, to recovery experts and rehabilitation therapists, we can assist you from start to finish. Contact us today, and we’ll help you get started on the journey back to better.