One morning waking up, you suddenly feel pain and tightness on your neck. It is hard to turn the neck to the other side.
If that’s the case, then you have a “Stiff Neck”.
Causes
Although it is most common that stiff neck happens in the morning after waking up, it is not the only cause.
Below are some common causes of a Stiff Neck:
- Awkward sleeping position or usage of a wrong pillow.
- A sudden impact on your head, causing a sudden contraction of the muscles on the neck.
- Holding the neck in an abnormal position for an extended period of time (e.g. looking down at your phone).
- Stress that tenses up the muscles.
- “Cold” and “Wind” invasion, leading to a poor circulation of Qi and Blood in the local area. Therefore stiff neck is more common in the Winter/Spring seasons.
Remedies
In most cases Stiff Neck heals in 4-5 days even without treatment. But below are some remedies that can speed up the healing process. And some could resolve this in a matter of minutes.
1. Acupuncture
From my experience treating stiff neck using acupuncture is very effective. I have numerous patients that the pain is totally gone in 1-2 sessions. Try see your local experienced acupuncturist!
2. Self-Massage
Here are some effective pressure points to massage on. These can quickly relieve the pain.
3. Stretches
Making in progress. I will post a video of stretches next week (22nd Nov, 2020)
Prevention
In Chinese Medicine, one of the most important concepts is “Prevent Disease before its Onset”. Therefore it is important to know HOW to prevent stiff neck from happening in the first place.
1. Exercise Regularly
According to Chinese Medicine Theory, at the end of the day it is all about our “Vital Energy”. If we are strong, we will not get sick.
From a modern medicine perspective, exercises could strengthen our muscles so it is less prone to be injured.
Exercise at least 30 min per day. The intensity of the exercise should be according to your age and health situation.
2. Prevent “Wind” and “Cold”
Wind and Cold can disturb the normal flow of Qi/Blood in our bodies. Which can lead to a stiff neck if it is directly invading the area. Therefore at night when we sleep, make sure we stay warm and avoid directly contact with the wind.
3. Use a Correct Pillow
The pillow should be of moderate in height and hardness.
4. Maintain a Good Posture
Most people work on computers or look at their phones every day. Therefore it is important to remind ourselves to have a good posture.
- Adjust the computer screen so that is is eye-level
- Ensure no hunchbacks and sitting up-right