Neck pain

Hello, Anon!

Thank you for posting.

I can give you some general information. The most common cause of a stiff neck is a muscle strain or soft tissue sprain. Others causes, experiencing excessive stress or anxiety can lead to tension in the neck. Holding the neck in an abnormal position for a long period of time, such as cradling a phone between the neck and shoulder. Poor posture. Some people wake up the morning with stiff/sore neck if their usual sleeping position was altered.

Sometimes neck stiffness and pain is a reaction to an underlying disorder of the cervical spine, which helps support and move the neck.

Taking over the counter pain relievers (if you can take them) can help control pain. Common types of NSAIDs are ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). Alternating ice and heat compress. Cold for inflammation, heat to sooth muscles.

If a stiff neck has not shown improvement within a week, it should be checked by a doctor. That said, regardless of how long it has lasted, a stiff neck accompanied by a fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, or unexplained sleepiness—should be seen by a medical professional immediately.

best,

Helena