Sudden neck pain can be alarming and debilitating, turning an ordinary day into a struggle with every turn of your head. This blog explores a common cause of such discomfort—a cervical facet sprain—detailing symptoms, potential causes, and both professional and at-home treatments to alleviate the pain.
Stiff neck causes: cervical facet sprain
A cervical facet sprain is characterised by inflammation that causes localised pain in the neck. Typically, this type of injury makes it difficult to turn your head to one side. You may also experience shooting pains into your shoulder blade and upper back. Often, there is a specific spot on your neck that, when touched, feels excruciatingly painful. This condition can occur under various mundane circumstances: sleeping in an awkward position, turning your head quickly while lifting something, or even when towel drying your hair. These seemingly harmless actions can strain the neck's delicate structures.
Woke up with stiff neck
Waking up with a stiff neck can disrupt your day from the start. This discomfort is often due to poor sleeping positions or unsupportive pillows, which cause undue stress on the neck muscles and facet joints overnight. To mitigate morning stiffness, consider evaluating your sleep setup for better neck support, such as using a pillow that maintains the natural curve of your neck.
Stiff neck from desk sitting posture
Long hours at a desk can contribute significantly to neck stiffness. Inadequate desk setups and poor posture often lead to tension and strain in the cervical spine. To prevent stiffness, ensure your workstation is ergonomically arranged to keep the computer screen at eye level and the spine in a neutral position, and take regular breaks to stretch and move.
Sports neck injury
Neck injuries from sports activities can range from minor muscle strains to more severe injuries like whiplash or cervical sprains. Protective gear, proper technique, and adequate physical conditioning are crucial for preventing such injuries in any sporting activity.
Sudden stiff neck
A sudden stiff neck can be a result of abrupt movements or minor traumas that strain the neck muscles. While this typically resolves with gentle care and rest, persistent or intensely painful symptoms may require medical attention to rule out more serious conditions.
When is a stiff neck serious?
A stiff neck accompanied by fever, headache, nausea, or numbness in the limbs can signal a severe underlying condition such as meningitis or cervical spine injury. If you experience these symptoms, seek immediate medical evaluation. Our osteopathy team can help, give them a call if unsure.
If your neck tightness is associated with headache or migraine symptoms, you should definitely look to book at appointment with a professional osteopath right away.
How to get rid of stiff neck in 10 seconds
Seriously, if you have a stiff neck from sitting at the desk too long or woke up after sleeping in an odd position, this can work. These techniques arebased on reciprocal inhibition can provide rapid relief.
Medical Warning: Always approach neck exercises with caution, especially if your pain is severe. If you are even slightly in doubt do not try this at home, our Osteopaths are experienced in performing this technique and can assist in clinic. Get in touch to learn more.
- Head Presses: Clasp your hands behind your head or sit on a seat with a headrest. Keeping the chin level, gently press the back of your head against your hands or the headrest. Hold for five to 10 seconds and repeat.
- Head Tilts: Instead of rolling your neck, which can strain muscles further, try gentle head tilts to each side, holding each position for a few seconds.
Other stiff neck remedy options
The above strategy is best reserved for being done supervised by a osteopathic professional, while you wait for your appointment our osteos might suggest a few at-home remedies that you can try.
- Apply Heat: Use a heat pack, heat cream, or take a hot shower to soothe the affected area.
- Towel Stretch: Roll up a towel and place it along your spine between the shoulder blades. For a demonstration, check out our Instagram post on the 'towel stretch.'
- Gentle Stretches: Perform very gentle stretches of the neck and shoulders by slowly moving your head from side to side.
- Self-Massage: Gently massaging the affected area can help encourage blood flow and relieve some pain.
When to see a professional for a stiff neck
While a cervical facet sprain often resolves on its own within 2-3 weeks, the pain in the interim can be significant and might be a sign of an underlying issue that needs assessment, treatment and a management plan to avoid these neck tension issues in the future.
Although mild cases of cervical facet sprain can heal with home treatments, do not hesitate to consult a professional if the pain persists or worsens. Osteopathic treatment and myotherapy can expedite your recovery, allowing you to return to your daily activities without pain. Remember, enduring pain is not a necessity; help is available to get you back to feeling great again.
At the Enso Clinic, we offer massage and osteopathy services to help with stiff necks, cervical sprains, tension headaches and more. Massage is great for low-grade and general neck stiffness (randomly woke up with a stiff neck for example) while osteopathy provides a more structured and ongoing treatment plan if you have repeat facet sprains, sports injuries or debilitating and persistent neck stiffness.
Massage for a stiff neck
Massage therapy can be particularly effective for relieving stiffness in the neck. This treatment helps to relax tense muscles, increase blood flow, and reduce pain. CTA to Book Online: Don’t wait for the pain to worsen; schedule an appointment with our skilled osteopaths today for a thorough assessment and personalised massage therapy.
Osteopathy treatment to help with your stiff neck
Osteopathy not only focuses on treating the pain but also addresses the underlying factors contributing to your discomfort. This holistic approach ensures that all potential sources of pain are managed, which can prevent recurrence. If you prefer not to wait out the natural healing process, visiting an osteopath can provide significant relief.
Book an osteo treatment at the Enso Clinic in Armadale at this link.