Remedies for A Stiff Neck:

Decrease Neck Pain, Decrease Soreness, Increase Mobility and Range of Motion & Improve your Neck Posture

Causes of A Stiff Neck (Among others)


1. Poor Neck Posture at Work

2. Sleeping Awkwardly at Night

3. Stress

4. Car Accident involving Whiplash in the Neck

5. Contact Sports

Stiff Neck Symptoms: What to Look and Feel For (Among others)


1. Decrease range of motion in the neck spine- for example, not able to turn your head to the right or to the left. Limited motion of the neck spine

2. Difficulty in getting into a comfortable position for sleeping

3. Pain in the neck, upper back and shoulders

4. Muscle Spasms of the Cervical Muscles and upper back muscles

5. Fever and Headache (this along with a stiff neck may mean an meningitis diagnosis)

Stiff Neck Remedies


1. Heat Therapy + Stretching

First thing in the morning, during your shower- let the hot water hit the back of your neck and do some gentle neck stretches (Refer to diagram#1). If you don't have the habbit of morning shower, replace shower with using heat pad on neck. Heat therapy will promote blood circulation and reduces free redicals in the neck and relaxes the muscles (Note: Do not apply heat therapy when severely inflammed.)

The neck stretches will involve flexing your head forward (bringing your chin to your chest), bringing your head back, bringing the right ear to the right shoulder and to the other side, and rotation of the neck to both sides.

These neck stretches can be beneficial because it will help to loosen up your muscles, decrease pain and increase your range of motion. Most importantly, don't do any of these exercises to the point to pain, only to the point of feeling a stretch. Start with gentle neck stretches for a stiff neck.

2. Cold Therapy

During the day, use ice on your neck. Cold therapy will help to reduce inflammation and provide a numbing effect.

When you use an ice pack- wrap it in a towel and set a timer for 10 min- 15 min max. This can help in pain relief for your stiff neck especially when the neck is severely inflammed. (Once inflamation subsides, stop cold therapy and use heat therapy + targeted exercise.)

Often times, with a stiff neck, your neck muscles are sore, stiff and just turning your head can be very difficult. To work specifically on the muscle spasms associated with a stiff neck, use a natural pain relieving gel (check with your physician or pharmacist.)

Neck Exercises for Stiff Neck, Neck Pain Relief, Decreased Mobility, Decreased Range of Motion + Strengthening the Neck Muscles

Exercises for the neck are very important. If done correctly they can increase your range of motion, mobility and strengthen the cervical spine. As you increase the mobility in your neck, you will notice greater range of motion and movement with less stiffness.

Why should you even bother with neck exercises, you may ask? Here are some reasons why you should do neck exercises:

Neck Pain

Stiff Neck

Whiplash Injury to the Neck

Arthritis in the Neck

Pinched nerve in the neck

Cervical Radiculopathy

To Make the neck stronger, to strengthen the cervical muscles

To tone your neck muscles

Cervical Muscle Sprain

Cervical Muscle Strain

Better Neck Posture

Increase the flexibility of your neck

Have a more youthful looking neck

Wake up without neck pain

etc.....

Stretching and Increasing Mobility

Below you will find stretching exercises specifically for the neck. If you suffer from a stiff neck or a pinched nerve in the neck, these exercises with give you pain relief. These are good stretches for you neck and will help you keep your neck flexible and mobile. Keep in mind that if you are having neck pain due to a cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve in the neck), do these exercises under the guidance of your doctor, your trainer or physical therapist.

More pain and neck stiffness means you will have do these exercises slowly and only to the point that you can feel the stretch- you never want to do them to the point of pain. This is especially important if you suffer with neck arthritis or degeneration in the cervical spine. Keeping the joints moving and flexible is very important for patients with arthritis in the neck. The goal of these neck stretches is to:

- Stretch the Neck Muscles

- Improve flexibility

- Restore the full range of motion in the neck

- Maintain Mobility for patients who have arthritis of degeneration of the cervical spine

- Increase range of motion in the neck.

- Decrease neck stiffness

- Decrease neck pain and inflammation

- Be able to carry out your activities of daily living without a stiff neck, or neck pain- for example- we want you to be able to check your blind spot with out neck pain while driving

- Prevent neck pain and upper back pain at the end of the day when you work on the computer all day

- In the cervical spine, we are looking to increase range of motion in :

Flexion (bringing your head and neck forward)

Extension (bringing your head and neck back- looking up the ceiling)

Lateral Flexion (right ear to the right shoulder, same on the left)

Rotation (turning your head and neck from side to side)

*** Always make sure you breathe while doing neck stretches. This is very important as it will help you to relax the neck muscles while taking them through the normal neck range of motion.

Cervical Flexion

The first neck exercise is called Cervical Flexion (bringing your chin to your chest, hold for 10 seconds) and Cervical Extension (looking up to the ceiling, hold for 10 seconds).

You want to start by tucking your chin in and gently bringing your head foward and attempting to touch the chin to the chest. (Those with hypertension or hypotension, may skip this exercise.)

Next, gently bend the head backwards as far as it will go. Repeat this exercise 10 times. Forward head flexion is great for those patients who suffer from hypertonic cervical parapinals- which is essentially pain in the back of the neck.

Lateral Flexion

The next neck exercise is called Lateral Flexion.

Bring your right ear to your right shoulder as far as you are able to and hold for 10 second. Do not rotate or turn your head when you are doing this neck stretch. Then bring your left ear to the left shoulder. Repeat this for for 10 times

Rotation of The Cervical Spine

Next part of the program is called Rotation of the Cervical Spine.

In this exercise you want to turn your head to the right as far as you possibly can, trying to bring your chin over your shoulders. When you are doing this neck exercise, do not bring up your shoulders. Hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds.

Next do this on the left side of the neck and repeat for 5 times.

For the last part of the neck stretching exercise you want to stand with you feet shoulder width apart and place your hands behind your head. Bend from side to side, making sure to bend only with the upper back area and not with the waist or hips. Try to reach the upper elbow to the celing.

Hold each movement for 3-5 seconds. Now do the same thing with the left side.

Standing with your feet apart shoulder length, clasp your hands behind your back, and pull downward toward the floor with your hands. Take a deep breath in and stand on your toes and look at the ceiling while exerting the downward pull.

Hold this stance for 3-5 seconds, then exhale slowly. Relax and repeat 5 times.

Remember neck stretches should always be peformed in a slow and smooth fashion. Especially for those patients who suffer from acute neck pain due to a stiff neck, pinched nerve in the neck, cervical radiculopathy or other severe pain- make sure you do the motions slowly.

If anytime you feel neck pain or a "twinge" in the neck, stop doing that exercise immediately. Speak to your doctor about a modified exercise that you can do because of specific neck pain.

This home neck exercise program is safe to do at home, but always consult with your treating doctor to make sure that you are in the best health possible to do your own exercises at home without supervision.

Finally, remember to breathe and relax while doing the neck stretches.

Strengthening the Neck Muscles

Next we want to discuss a system of exercises that will strengthen the neck muscles. These neck exercises will help to make your neck stronger. This includes your cervical paraspinal muscles, and subocciptial muscles. These exercises are called Isometric exercises.

Isometric Excercise

Isometric exercise is a type of exercise involving the static contraction of a muscle without any visible movement in the angle of the joint. In simple terms this means that in these exercises the length of the muscle does not change. As you continue to do these strengthening exercises for the cervical spine you will gain strength in your neck. Over time you should be able to increase the force and number of times you are able to perform the exercises.

#1

Press your palms against your forehead and push against each other, resisting motion. Hold this position for 10 seconds and repeat this exercise 10 times.

#2

With this next cervical strengthening exercise place your hand against the side of your head. Try to bring to your ear to your shoulder, resisting the motion. Repeat this exercise on the other side. Hold each position for 10 seconds and when finished relax slowly.

#3

Cup both hands against the back of your head. Attempt to push your head back, resisting the motion. Hold this position for 10 seconds, and when finished relax slowly.

#4

In the final cervical strengthening exercise, put your right hand against the right temple. Attempt to turn your chin to your right shoulder, resisting the motion. Repeat this on the left side. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax slowly. Do this neck exercise 10 times.

Doing neck exercises that will make your neck muscles stronger can make you less likely to suffer a cervical sprain/strain. When muscles are weak, we are more prone to injury from everyday activities. Doing strenthening neck exercises will make your neck muscles stronger, will make your neck look healthier and improve athletic performance. These exercises if done correctly can prevent arthritis in the neck and degeneration in the neck joints from progressing. Even if you don't suffer from neck pain, then you will still benefit from the strengthening neck exercises.