Do you feel like you are having a difficult time moving your neck? If so, you might have something called a "crick in your neck". This is a colloquial term used to describe stiffness and soreness that you might have in your head, neck, and shoulders. If you have a difficult time turning your neck from side to side, or if you feel like you cannot move your head up and down, you may have a crick that needs to be addressed. Fortunately, there are plenty of treatment options available, and you should reach out to your local chiropractor, too, who can help you figure out how to get rid of the crick you have in your neck and prevent it from coming back.
What Is a Crick in Your Neck?
If your neck feels a bit tight, you have a crick in your neck. Typically, this refers to tightness in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons surrounding your shoulder blades and lower neck.
There are plenty of reasons why you might have a crick in your neck. For example, you might have muscles around your shoulder blades that are in spasm, or you might have a herniated disc in your neck somewhere.
You might also suffer from spinal stenosis, which can cause the crick to get worse over time. However, most people who suffer from a crick in their neck is due to poor posture or sleeping conditions.
A crick in your neck can come on suddenly, and it can make it difficult for you to sit comfortably, drive a car, exercise, and move your neck naturally. Fortunately, there are several treatment options that can help you recover.
Treatments at Home
You may want to start with a few simple treatment options at home.
For example, try applying ice during the first 24 hours to help alleviate inflammation. Simply take an ice pack, place it in a hand towel to avoid burning the skin, then apply it to the area that's causing problems. Leave the ice pack on for 20 minutes, take off for 40 minutes, then repeat once more.
If it's still bothering you after 24 hours, a heating pad can help the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your neck relax. If you have muscle tightness or cramping contributing to the crick in your neck, a heating pad can help soothe the pain and increase range of motion.
Stretches can go a long way toward helping you alleviate the stiffness in your neck, too. Simply put, stretches help release muscle tightness.
One simple stretch that you can perform is simply rotating your neck from side to side. Try to touch your ear to your shoulder every time before returning your neck to its natural, starting position.
Call a Chiropractor Who Can Help You
Finally, you should also reach out to your local chiropractor for additional help. A chiropractor can do a comprehensive physical exam to figure out the root cause of the crick in your neck.
A chiropractor can also look at the alignment of your neck and back, performing chiropractic adjustments that help line up your vertebrae for optimal health.
She can then show you additional stretches and exercises that can help release muscle tightness in your neck, increasing your range of motion in the process that are based off your postural analysis.
Clearly, there are plenty of treatment options available, but you need to work with a healthcare professional who can help you customize your treatment plan to meet your needs. There are plenty of reasons why you might have a crick in your neck, and the right diagnosis can make it easier for you to get the care you require for long term success.
Remember that you do not have to deal with this ailment on your own. If you reach out to a chiropractor who can customize your plan to meet your needs, you can put yourself in the best position possible to recover while limiting complications and side effects.