A stiff neck is causes by an injury to the neck, to either muscles or nerves in the neck or spinal discs in the neck. Experiencing a stiff neck could be very painful and at other times, the pains could be mild or acute. What then is a stiff neck and what are the causes? A condition is a medical condition where you find it very difficult and nearly impossible to move your neck or head one way or the other; you find it very difficult or nearly impossible to move your head up or down, from side to side and in any manner whatsoever without moving your entire body frame. Many patients that suffer from a stiff neck can barely do anything in the house or in their workplace, and in most cases, they have to apply for sick leave to take good medical care of themselves. The reason for this is that when you experience acute or severe stiff neck with associated pains, you might find it very difficult to use your limbs because the nerves affected by your stiff neck serve the other parts of the body experiencing transferred pains.

A stiff neck is caused by many natural and mechanical factors, but chief among these are motor accidents and herniated discs. Motor or factory accidents may cause injuries to the nerves or muscles of the neck, and the injuries may result to stiff neck. Muscles in the neck may experience a wear and tear due to the accident and injury, thus causing the patient to experience stiffness in the neck. You could also have a condition of a herniated disc where the disc in the neck may bulge or become herniated. Sleeping on a high and hard pillow or surface has also been known to cause a stiff neck in people, and that is why you must do away with any high or hard pillow for sleeping. Do not forget that a stiff neck could result when you have osteoarthritis or neck arthritis or some other similar conditions like fibromyalgia or meningitis among others. What then are symptoms of a stiff neck?

The major symptom of a stiff neck is stiffness in the neck, that is, inability to move the neck sideways or up and down. You could also experience swellings in the neck and tenderness or change of color in the neck, with some signs of numbness, weakness and tingling sensations. You could also experience mild or excruciating pains in your neck, shoulders, lower back region and even the legs; and depending on the severity of the causative factor, the pains may come and go without much intervention or even after a surgery.

Treatments? You could treat your stiff neck condition by massaging the neck thoroughly morning and evening, by taking medical drugs and medications, my stretching and exercising the neck, by applying cold or hot compresses, by using herbal concoctions, ointments and balms and by even using surgery in a very extreme case. Just visit your doctor or alternative therapist for guidance, and you will get treatment for your stiff neck condition.

Filed under: Neck Pain Treatments

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