While many people have aches and pain from time to time, few aches can be more annoying or debilitating than neck pain. While it can be natural to have some aching muscles or soreness from time to time, neck pain is something that often needs to be dealt with. A sore neck or pinched or tight muscles in the neck can lead to a wide array of other problems like a sore back, headaches, migraines, sore shoulders, general aching, and just an overall feeling of ill health. Many times the causes can be easily treated, but the neck is always a delicate part of the body and it’s important to take all neck pain or injuries seriously.
First, before getting into common causes of neck pain and popular remedies, let’s be sure to make one thing clear: if you have had serious neck problems, were in a car accident, sports injury, or have really serious symptoms like numbness in your neck or limbs, tingling, or sharp shooting pains – you should stop reading this article and go to a doctor. Neck injuries are not to be messed with, and any time you have any worries about your neck even from something that might seem mild long a long period of mild soreness, consult your physician. Always trust the professionals for advice on matters like these.
That said, if the neck pain is not from injury or trauma but is muscle soreness or less severe every day issues then there are a few common causes and common remedies which might be able to give you some relief as long as the injury isn’t serious and the pain is minor.
Looking at common neck pain causes
There are many common causes which can result in neck pain. One of the first places to look is your bedding situation. Whether it’s from too thin a pillow, lack of support from the mattress, or you sleeping in an awkward position, many times neck pain comes in the morning after something wasn’t right. If you’re a side sleeper and have to fold up your pillow to get comfortable, that’s a definite sign you need a new pillow and a firmer one. This not only isn’t the most comfortable angle, but the fold causes the pillow to push back against your head. After six to eight hours of sleep, that pressure adds up.
A mattress that’s too hard or too soft can also result in your spine being in an uncomfortable position and that can affect your neck. If you find yourself stretching your neck or hearing cracking noises when you roll your head, this could be a sign that the mattress is at fault. Think about your body position as you’re going to sleep. Would you keep your neck in that position for eight hours awake? If the answer is a strong no, then you need to readjust how you’re positioned for sleep.
Other common factors which can lead to mild neck pain include stress, sore shoulder muscles which pull on the neck, or from uncomfortable movement (like using your head to keep a cell phone in place). Recognizing these causes is the first step to eliminating them.
Treating basic neck pain
There are several ways to treat neck pain. If your issue is muscle or stress related, one of the best ways is to have a warm or hot compress on your back and shoulders to relax the muscles. Taking a long hot shower while concentrating the water on the back of your shoulders and neck can help loosen and relax you. If you have the money, get a 30 minute massage. This can relax all the muscles in the area and help you feel better. Some people have reported going to a chiropractor as helping although there are split opinions on this.
Finally, stay hydrated. This sounds strange and might not directly work as treatment as well as some of the other options listed, but hydration can affect everything and that stiffness in the neck or headache you think is being caused by neck soreness could actually be a headache from not being hydrated enough which means drinking water could take away the headache, which could be the actual cause of the neck pain and not a symptom.