Stiffness, soreness, and difficulty moving your neck is generally accompanied by neck pain, shoulder pain, and headache. It makes it hard to move, concentrate or focus. In extreme cases the neck may be stuck or unable to turn, causing the person to need to rotate their entire body rather than simply turn their head.
Sometimes the onset is upon waking in the morning – other times it comes on gradually during the course of the day.
Neck pain and stiffness can be brought on by strain and movement – overexertion at the gym, moving furniture, repetitious movement over time, or simply moving “the wrong way”. Falls, old injuries acting up, and sleeping wrong can all provoke a pain response.
The most common cause of a stiff neck is soft tissue or muscle strain.
This can be brought on by sleeping wrong, sudden impact such as a car accident or sports injury, having chronically poor posture including looking down at your phone for prolonged periods of time, and it can even be brought on my stress or anxiety as they will cause your entire body to tense.
The best ways to avoid a stiff neck are to:
1. Avoid repetitive activities that put a strain on the neck muscles and tendons. If you must do these motions make sure to take breaks and stretch.
2. Reduce stress. Stress makes every cell in your body tense up.
3. Remain flexible in life. On a root cause, manifestation level neck pain is said to be caused by an inability to see things from others points of view – stubbornness.
4. Get massages and regular chiropractic adjustments. Keeping yourself in alignment and your body working and walking with a proper gate can influence not only how your neck feels but how your entire body works.
5. Limit your time on your smartphone or tablet. Text neck is becoming a real issue with today’s wifi society. Look up, and put the phone down once in a while.
6. If you work at a computer, take breaks every couple of hours, walk and stretch.
If you are dealing with neck pain make an appointment today. I can help get you feeling like yourself again.
Chiropractor & Nutritionist in Fort Myers, FL.
Chiropractic care is a safe, alternative treatment when applied appropriately. Chiropractic treatments help in dealing with the symptoms of many conditions. Are you going to wait for your symptoms to be felt, or are you going to prevent them before they start?
Dr. Jason B. Kaster, a chiropractor, and nutritionist in Fort Myers can help you and your family achieve their optimal health.