We often don’t pay much attention to our neck’s range of motion unless pain or discomfort is limiting our ability to have full flexibility. When this happens, innocent actions like checking your blindspot in the car or just turning your head to check your peripherals can become restrictive and painful. We explain what’s causing that tightness and how to treat it on your own or with the help of a physician in today’s blog.
What Causes Neck Tightness?
Cervical spinal tightness can be caused by a few different factors, but in most cases they are caused by two different sources of trauma. We’ll break them both down below:
- Acute Trauma – Neck tightness can be caused by acute trauma to the region. The most common type of acute trauma that can lead to neck tightness is whiplash. This occurs when the neck is violently thrust in one direction while the body remains in a steady position. This is common during certain contact sports like football and soccer, but it can also occur during rear-end traffic collisions. When whiplash or acute trauma occurs, muscles and ligaments in the neck can tear, making movement painful.
- Repetitive Trauma – You can also develop neck tightness due to repetitive motion and structure breakdown. If you’re constantly looking down at your phone or craning forward to work on a computer, muscles, ligaments and discs in your neck can slowly wear down. Years or decades down the road, this can contribute to worsening physical function and pain when moving the neck in certain directions. Making sure you have ideal posture is important for preventing neck tightness caused by repetitive trauma.
As for the actual physical problem causing your neck tightness, that too can vary. Common causes include:
- Muscle strains
- Ligament tears
- Pinched nerves
- Cervical disc slippage
Treating Neck Tightness
In order to successfully treat neck tightness, it’s important to figure out exactly why motion is restricted in the area, because a muscle tear will be treated much differently than a pinched nerve. If you’re experiencing neck tightness, head into Dr. Sinicropi’s office or to a clinic near you. They’ll begin with a physical exam while asking about your symptoms. They’ll then carefully conduct some manipulation exercises to see the restriction or determine which actions cause discomfort to subside. Your doctor may be able to provide a diagnosis at this point, or they may wish to confirm with imaging tests like an X-ray, MRI or CT scan.
Your treatment will vary based on your diagnosis, but individuals whose restrictions stem from a soft tissue injury will often have similar treatment courses. In many cases, treatment involves a combination of anti-inflammatory medications/over the counter pain relievers, targeted stretching exercises, physical therapy, ice or heat therapy and low impact range of motion exercises. The goal with these treatments is to gradually and safely increase range of motion and strengthen the area while also giving it time to repair itself. Too much activity can make the problem worse, so gradual, controlled exercises will be the name of the game.
If a disc or spinal nerve issue is to blame for your neck mobility restriction, treatment may vary a bit. Rest, anti-inflammatories and physical therapy will still be a pretty standard course, but physical manipulation, spinal injections and even minimally invasive surgery to correct a shifted disc may also be ordered if you do not respond to other forms of treatment.
In most instances, neck tightness relieves with rest, medications, hot/cold therapy and gentle stretching exercises or physical therapy, but if you’re struggling to regain full range of motion, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and his team for assistance. We can provide hands on care to alleviate your pain and prevent bigger issues down the road. For more information, contact his office today.
