Stiff Neck Causes Not Known Or Understood?
Many Common Stiff Neck Causes - Most of us have experienced a stiff neck on occasion and are fully aware of the stiff neck causes involved. Most often the problem occurs when reading, or staring at the TV, or just looking in one direction for a period of time with our head placed in an unnatural position. It's also not all that unusual to wake up from a good night's sleep or even a nap on the couch, with a stiff neck. Spending time lying on the couch is much more conducive to getting a stiff neck as we usually can't extend to our full length and end up with the neck in a cramped or awkward position.
The neck is a tough part of out body. It has to be, as it not only supports the head, but contains muscles, ligaments, major veins and arteries, plus the esophagus and wind pipe and the upper segments of the spinal column. While the neck can withstand a certain amount of punishment, a neck injury can be a serious thing indeed, even, in some cases, a stiff neck.
Since a stiff neck is rather commonplace, we normally don't run to the doctor every time we experience one, nor should we. Most often, the stiffness is the result of a muscle that's been forced into an awkward position for a period of time. Once the tension or pressure on the muscle is relieved, and we move the neck about a bit, perhaps by simply rotating our head, the stiffness disappears.
You can't always monitor your sleeping position, although if a stiff neck is a recurring situation, the wrong kind of pillow, or pillows in general, could be a problem. A few fortunate souls can sleep soundly using anything for a pillow, or use no pillow at all. A pillow of some sort is best if we sleep on one side, as it gives the neck a little support. But a large pillow that is somewhat hard can result in keeping the neck in an abnormal position much of the night, and can definitely contribute to a stiff neck.
A cold draft is often believed to be a leading cause of a stiff neck. There is some truth to this, though it is usually not the cold air itself that is the cause. When we feel cold air on the back of the neck, we tend to hunch our shoulders or move our neck such as to reduce the skin area exposed to the cold air. This places tension on muscles, a sure way to ultimately experience stiffness.
When Stiff Neck Causes Should Be Looked Into - There are times however, when a stiff neck causes might be due to something that needs looking into. How do you tell when that might be the case? There are two things to possibly take into account. If there appears to be no apparent reason for the stiff neck and it remains that way for 24 to 48 hours, it would be best to have a doctor do an examination to see what the possible cause may be. The other thing to take into account would be the presence of other symptoms, such as a fever, severe pain, numbness or tingling, especially in the arm or hands, or difficulty in swallowing or breathing.
Treatment - Unless a stiff neck is a symptom of a disorder that requires treatment in order for the stiffness or pain to go away, treatment for stiff neck causes often consists of nothing more than application of heat, topical ointments or balms, massaging the neck muscles, or simply exercising the neck muscles on a regular basis. An over the counter pain killer usually helps in countering both stiffness and any associated pain.
Some caution is in order regarding doing certain exercises when the neck is stiff or treatments for a stiff neck are underway. Activities such as weight lifting, golf, and certain calisthenics should either be avoided or approached with caution. Even jogging can at times be one of the stiff neck causes and contribute to other neck problems as well.
In summary, a stiff neck is seldom a cause for concern, but if it persists, appears to be getting worse, or is accompanied by other symptoms indicating something is not right, see a doctor.