Pulled a muscle in my neck

[ddubois]

I have no idea how, but this morning I reached for something over and my neck shot out in pain. I wake up with a 'stiff' neck every so often, persumably from sleeping in some wierd position, and the feeling is similar to that. I can move my neck but it hurts and certain angles hurt alot more.

I've been trying to turn, twist, stretch, rub, roll my sholders, even grab and pull my head with my hands, etc, but I think I'm making it worse, not better.

What is the proper way to treat this?

[tbach24]

are you sleeping in front of a fan?

[ddubois]

In the past, sometimes, but not lately. We have a room A/C, but usually the last one to bed (i.e. me) turns it off right before going to sleep. Are you implying temperature causes stiff necks, or air blowing on them does? Or that a fan can cause a neck to be susceptible to spasming and becoming sore, like mine did this morning?

[LethalRose]

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are you sleeping in front of a fan?

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why would this matter?

[HopeydaFish]

Get some muscle relaxants and take it easy. I've hurt my neck this way in the past and it's not fun. The only thing that will help is rest.

[tbach24]

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are you sleeping in front of a fan?

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why would this matter?

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i don't know why, but for a lot of people (myself included) it hurts the neck a lot in the morning.

[DarkForceRising]

This [censored] has been happening to me for years and all I can tell you is listen to the pain and don't do anything to aggravate it. Usually, it starts feeling better on the second day and then you mess it up again and by the fourth day it feels better.

Don't try to stretch it. That is what likely caused the problem in the first place. I'm not sure muscle relaxers are too hot of an idea, either, as they will mask the pain which alerts you to what not to do.

If you don't have really nice pillows already spend a few bucks on some high quality ones. Your neck will thank you.

[Dubra]

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I have no idea how, but this morning I reached for something over and my neck shot out in pain. I wake up with a 'stiff' neck every so often, persumably from sleeping in some wierd position, and the feeling is similar to that. I can move my neck but it hurts and certain angles hurt alot more.

I've been trying to turn, twist, stretch, rub, roll my sholders, even grab and pull my head with my hands, etc, but I think I'm making it worse, not better.

What is the proper way to treat this?

[/ QUOTE ]


get in the shower and aim hot water on the sore neck. put your hand on top of your head and lightly pull either side 15-20 seconds to each side, repeat x2. if you hear a slight pop, do not be alarmed. in my experience it is just the muscles stretching

[Blarg]

I think that sleeping wrong is just the straw that broke the camel's back a lot of times.

For instance, I'm kind of addicted to coca cola. Or, I used to be, I rarely drink it now. Anyway, for 20 years or so I drank it like crazy and the constant caffeine, even when I went easy on it, built up and took a while to clear out of my system. I'd be moving and suddenly WHAM! a piercing pain would zap my neck and it would be very painfully stiff, sometimes for days, as the stiffness would make all the other muscles around the neck tense up too, which just made the neck tense more!

Anyway, sometimes I would feel fine but got to the point where I could tell I was just carrying too much tension in my neck and I was in danger any moment of having my neck get really bad on me. When that happened, often the next day I would wake up with a totally cranked neck.

I'd definitely lay off the caffeine when this happens to you. Whether you realize it or not, it tends to increase tension in the neck, including where it meets the bottom of the skull. I find once that tension starts, it's very hard to keep it from getting worse rapidly.

I'd drink lots of water and try to flush the caffeine out of your system, if you put much in there. No sense giving your muscles the ammunition to tense up and make things even worse.

[ddubois]

I wonder if, after I get better, there are some simple exercises I should do as a preventative measure, to keep my neck and/or back flexible and strong.

[LethalRose]

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
are you sleeping in front of a fan?

[/ QUOTE ]

why would this matter?

[/ QUOTE ]

i don't know why, but for a lot of people (myself included) it hurts the neck a lot in the morning.

[/ QUOTE ]

yea, very weird. I've slept infront of my fan almost my entire adult life and never woke up with neck pain.

[LethalRose]

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I wonder if, after I get better, there are some simple exercises I should do as a preventative measure, to keep my neck and/or back flexible and strong.

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I was going to suggest this but i didnt want to be "that guy"