Neck Pain Causes

Right side of neck hurts like I pulled something and feeling stiff?
(18 Mar 2009)

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There can be various reasons for pain in the neck. From your description it is not easy to ascertain what could be the cause of your stiff neck. You have given very generic symptoms associated with common pains related to neck.

To effectively treat the pain, it is important to find out what is the exact cause of pain you are experiencing. Some of the causes for neck pain can be muscle strain, worn joint, disk disorder of the neck, and injuries. Most often pain in the neck is a temporary thing and goes away on its own.

You just need to take rest for a few days. It is just an indication of excessive stress on the neck due to over-activity or bad posture. However, in certain cases, if the pain is due to an injury, the pain is more acute and can also feel numb at the neck region. Such cases should be taken up immediately with a doctor and treated properly. If the injury is severe, you may need proper medical care along with physiotherapy.

Meanwhile, you can also try some self-care measures to reduce the pain in your neck. Alternative heat and cold treatment is good for the affected area as it soothes the pain. First, you can place a cold press on the neck where it hurts and leave it for about 15-20 minutes. For the cold press you can use an ice pack or ice wrapped in a towel. Follow the cold treatment with a hot treatment. You can either take a warm shower or place a heating pad on the area of pain. In case a heating pad is unavailable, you can iron a towel and use it as a hot press. The whole process of alternate hot and cold treatment can be done several times a day whenever you need relief from pain. Besides this, you can also do some gentle stretching and neck exercises. Also, you should be careful about your sleeping posture. Often, incorrect or faulty posture leads to neck pain. Do not use too high pillows or too soft beds. Styrofoam rollers can be used as beds to help reduce the muscle tension and relieve the pain in the neck.

Additionally, do take some care to choose your diet. Magnesium is supposed to be good for stiff muscles and other muscle related pains. You can, therefore add some magnesium-rich foods in your diet so that you get some relief in case your pain in the neck is muscle related. Common sources of magnesium are grains, nuts, seeds, and leafy vegetables, all of which can be found easily.

answered by G M on 18 Mar 2009, 12:55:47

Neck Pain Causes

Right side of neck hurts like I pulled something and feeling stiff? (18 Mar 2009)

Right side of neck hurts like I pulled something and feeling stiff?
(18 Mar 2009)