Why You Get a Crick in the Neck

We’ve all woken up from sleeping to suddenly feel our neck in pain. What caused it? A crick can happen for a number of reasons, like sleeping in a weird position overnight. When this happens, a crick can cause stiffness in the neck, shoulders, and more. If you’ve ever wondered why this happens, we’re here to explain and tell you how we can help. 

Signs of a Crick in the Neck 

A crick in the neck is when the neck gets stiff due to strained muscles or ligaments. When a crick in the neck happens, it’s usually a minor injury that will get better in time. However, it can be incredibly painful. If you think you are experiencing a crick in the neck, you could show symptoms like having a stiff neck or not having full range of motion in your neck. This can make it difficult to turn your head to look either way, look behind you, and more. 

Causes 

There are many ways that cause you to experience a stiff crick in the neck. SpineUniverse explains that causes can be a combination of things, some you can prevent and some you can’t. They explain a few common causes of a stiff neck can include:

• Poor posture while being stuck behind a computer at work 
• Sleeping in an awkward position and/or using a pillow that doesn’t give proper support at night
• “Tech neck,” which happens when you look down at your cellphone or laptop too often 
• Stress and emotional tension can cause you to involuntarily tighten the muscles in your neck and shoulders
• Heavy labor or award lifting that doesn’t incorporate use of good ergonomics 
• Reaching or looking overhead for an extended period of time (like when painting) 

At-Home Remedies for a Crick in the Neck

If you have a crick in the neck, you can usually try to relieve your pain at home. One of the most efficient ways to work out the stiffness is by gently stretching the muscles affected. Medical News Today provides these effective at-home remedy options for getting your neck back to being pain-free: 

• Try gentle yoga stretches.
• Shrug your shoulders up and down, then move the shoulders around in circles.
• Move your head gently from side-to-side, then slowly move your chin to your chest and roll your head up to look at the ceiling. 
• Consider taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, like ibuprofen, to help reduce stiffness.
• Change the position you sit in. Try switching up your work setup and trade your normal pillow for something a little more firm to help prevent future stiffness. 

It’s important to note that you should never force a stretch or overextend the neck. This can make the pain worse and make your healing time substantially longer. If you work at a desk, be sure to get up and move at least once each hour to help give your neck a break. Additionally, taking occasional walks throughout the day can help stiff muscles in your neck and back. 

Other Treatment Options

If your stiff neck is more severe, you might need to see a doctor. That’s where our team at Texas Spine & Sports Therapy can help. Treatment options vary depending on the severity of your pain. However, we do have options that can provide immediate relief, like injections that can soothe inflammation and release tension without affecting the rest of your body or mind. For chronic neck pain linked to an old injury, we also offer:

• Manual therapy from the chiropractor to reset misalignment
• Massage and stretching to loosen up tight muscles
• Relaxation techniques to help tension melt away
• Chiropractic adjustments 
• Chronic pain management treatments to help you avoid medications and surgery
• Corrective care for the cervical spine to help restore the curve 

Your First Visit 

When you come in for your visit, one of our team members will spend time learning about your pain and your patient history. This information will help us learn how significant your neck pain is and how we can best help you. We will get you started on a treatment plan for your neck pain and give you some at home tips that will help get you back on your feet faster. We have a lot of experience with neck pain, but you have to be willing to put in the work, too! 

Make an Appointment with Us Today 

If you have a crick in the neck from sleeping wrong, or neck pain due to another cause, our team can help. Let us know what you need by calling us at (512)-806-0015 today.