Approximately 1 in 3 people suffer from neck pain daily, with women being more prone to neck stiffness and pain than men.
Are you tired of feeling stiffness and pain in your neck every day? Would you like a solution to this problem?
Many people seek ways to learn how to fix a stiff neck, and the good news is that there are options.
If you would like to solve this problem for good, check out the following steps that you can take to relieve the pain and stiffness you feel and prevent it from reoccurring.
Treatment Options to Relieve Neck Stiffness and Pain
When you start feeling stiffness in your neck, you should immediately treat the problem. You can find relief from stiffness and pain by using some of the following techniques:
Apply Ice and Heat
The first way to treat neck stiffness is with ice or heat, and both work well. Applying an ice pack on your neck relieves pain and stiffness by decreasing the inflammation in your neck.
Placing a heating pad on your neck also provides relief by offering a soothing feeling to your neck. When your neck hurts, you can find relief using methods that soothe the pain, and heat works ideally for this purpose.
If you aren’t sure which to use, try both to see which one offers the most relief to your pain.
Take Medication
Another way to treat neck pain is by taking over-the-counter pain pills. Ibuprofen is one of the best options, as this medication targets and reduces inflammation.
The downside to using medication is that it only provides temporary relief. When the medication wears off, the pain and stiffness will return. Medication can help take the edge off the pain, though, which helps if you have extreme pain.
Use a Neck Massager
You can also relieve neck soreness by using a neck massager. A neck massager is a device that runs on batteries or electricity, and you must place it around your neck. When you turn it on, the jets within the device begin turning and moving.
You can use it as long as you need to, and it has no side-effects. The benefit of using a neck massager is that it loosens tight muscles in your neck, and one of the most common stiff neck causes is tightness in the neck.
If you loosen these tight muscles, you will feel less neck pain, and you might see an improvement in your range of motion.
Take a Bath
People who experience frequent neck pain sometimes take baths as a way of treating the pain. Taking a hot bath is soothing and calming, helping decrease neck pain when it is the result of stress.
Stress in your life can lead to neck stiffness and pain, and taking a bath each night is a great way to reduce the pain and prevent further pain. When soaking in the tub, place your neck in the hot water to experience more relief directly to your neck.
Preventative Measures to Learn How to Fix a Stiff Neck
Neck stiffness is often the result of your posture, but it can also occur for other reasons. If you want to prevent stiffness in your neck, you might be able to by using the following preventative measures:
Perform Stretching Exercises
Taking the right steps and making the necessary changes in your life can help you prevent neck pain in the future. One ideal stiff neck remedy to try is stretching exercises.
Completing neck stretching exercises daily can strengthen the muscles in this area of your body and help you prevent pain. You might not find instant relief through these exercises, but it should make a difference in the long run.
One effective exercise to use is bending your head down to your shoulder and holding it for ten seconds. You can repeat this exercise several times and use it both ways.
Another effective exercise to use is rolling your shoulders. You can roll your shoulders forward ten times and then roll them back ten times. Your shoulder muscles affect your neck, so this exercise might help you prevent further pain.
If you are experiencing neck pain, you must also consider trying the best neck exercises. It can greatly help to strengthen your neck muscles.
Sleep Healthier
Another cause of a stiff neck is the way you sleep. If you have poor posture when sleeping, you will likely have more neck pain.
One vital thing to know is that you should never sleep on your stomach. Stomach sleeping causes you to twist your neck in one direction while sleeping. This twisting leads to stiffness and pain.
The best way to sleep is on your side with a pillow propped between your knees. Additionally, you should have a supportive pillow that adheres to the natural posture of your neck. In other words, your pillow should not be too high or too low.
Develop Better Posture
Your posture might be another cause of your stiff neck. If you have poor posture, your neck will likely feel it first. Developing better posture can naturally prevent further pain and stiffness, but it might take some work.
If you have bad posture, you’ve probably developed these bad habits slowly over time. To change them, you must be intentional about it and work hard each day to make the necessary changes.
Create an Ergonomic Environment With Your Electronics
Finally, you can prevent neck pain and stiffness by creating an ergonomic environment for your electronics. Many people suffer from headaches and neck pain due to the hours they spend on their cellphones.
Others suffer from these problems from being on their computers for hours each day. If possible, update your systems to ergonomic setups, as this will help you prevent further neck pain.
Educate Yourself for an Improvement in Health
Learning how to fix a stiff neck can provide answers to your problem and relief for your pain. You’ll need to follow these tips and develop a healthier posture if you want to keep the pain away.
Educating yourself on health topics is also essential. If you enjoyed this article, you’d likely enjoy others on our site, so check it out today!
Feature Photo by Gustavo Almeida from Pexels
