The bones, ligaments, and muscles of your neck support your head and allow for motion. Any abnormalities, inflammation, or injury can cause neck pain or stiffness.Encyclopedia Entry for Neck Pain :Neck pain or spasms - self care. You can use one or more of these methods to help reduce neck pain: Use over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Apply heat or ice to the painful area. Use ice for the first 48 to 72 hours, then use heat. Apply heat using warm showers, hot compresses, or a heating pad. To prevent injuring your skin, do not fall asleep with a heating pad or ice bag in place. Have a partner gently massage the sore or painful areas. Try sleeping on a firm mattress with a pillow that supports your neck. You may want to get a special neck pillow. You can find them at some pharmacies or retail stores. Ask your health care provider about using a soft neck collar to relieve discomfort. Only use the collar for 2 to 4 days at most. Using a collar for longer can make your neck muscles weaker. Take it off from time to time to allow the muscles to get stronger. Acupuncture also may help relieve neck pain.To help relieve neck pain, you may have to reduce your activities. However, doctors do not recommend bed rest. You should try to stay as active as you can without making the pain worse. These tips can help you stay active with neck pain. Stop normal physical activity for only the first few days. This helps calm your symptoms and reduce swelling (inflammation) in the area of the pain. Do not do activities that involve heavy lifting or twisting of your neck or back for the first 6 weeks after the pain begins. If you are unable to move your head around very easily, you may need to avoid driving. After 2 to 3 weeks, slowly begin to exercise again. Your health care provider may refer you to a physical therapist. Your physical therapist can teach you which exercises are right for you and when to start. You may need to stop or ease back on the following exercises during recovery, unless your doctor or physical therapist says it is OK: Jogging Contact sports Racquet sports Golf Dancing Weight lifting Leg lifts when lying on your stomach Sit-ups.As part of physical therapy, you may receive massage and stretching exercises along with exercises to strengthen your neck. Exercise can help you: Improve your posture Strengthen your neck and improve flexibility A complete exercise program should include: Stretching and strength training. Follow the instructions of your doctor or physical therapist. Aerobic exercise. This may involve walking, riding a stationary bicycle, or swimming. These activities can help improve blood flow to your muscles and promote healing. They also strengthen muscles in your stomach, neck, and back. Stretching and strengthening exercises are important in the long run. Keep in mind that starting these exercises too soon after an injury can make your pain worse. Strengthening the muscles in your upper back can ease the stress on your neck. Your physical therapist can help you determine when to begin neck stretching and strengthening exercises and how to do them.If you work at a computer or a desk most of the day: Stretch your neck every hour or so. Use a headset when on the telephone, especially if answering or using the phone is a main part of your job. When reading or typing from documents at your desk, place them in a holder at eye level. When sitting, make sure that your chair has a straight back with an adjustable seat and back, armrests, and a swivel seat. Other measures to help prevent neck pain include: Avoid standing for long periods. If you must stand for your work, place a stool by your feet. Alternate resting each foot on the stool. Do not wear high heels. Wear shoes that have cushioned soles when walking. If you drive long-distance, stop and walk around every hour. Do not lift heavy objects just after a long ride. Make sure you have a firm mattress and supportive pillow. Learn to relax. Try methods such as yoga, tai chi, or massage.For some, neck pain does not go away and becomes a long-lasting (chronic) problem. Managing chronic pain means finding ways to make your pain tolerable so you can live your life. Unwanted feelings, such as frustration, resentment, and stress, are often a result of chronic pain. These feelings and emotions can worsen your neck pain. Ask your health care provider about prescribing medicines to help you manage your chronic pain. Some with ongoing neck pain take narcotics to control the pain. It is best if only one health care provider is prescribing your narcotic pain medicines. If you have chronic neck pain, ask your health care provider about a referral to a: Rheumatologist (an expert in arthritis and joint disease) Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist (can help people regain body functions they lost due to medical conditions or injury) Neurosurgeon Mental health provider.Call your provider if: Symptoms do not go away in 1 week with self-care You have numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm or hand Your neck pain was caused by a fall, blow, or injury, if you cannot move your arm or hand, have someone call 911 The pain gets worse when you lie down or wakes you up at night Your pain is so severe that you cannot get comfortable You lose control over urination or bowel movements You have trouble walking and balancing.Pain - neck - self-care; Neck stiffness - self-care; Cervicalgia - self-care; Whiplash - self-care.Whiplash Whiplash Location of whiplash pain Location of whiplash pain.Lemmon R, Leonard J. Neck and back pain.Encyclopedia Entry for Neck Pain :Neck pain. When your neck is sore, you may have difficulty moving it, such as turning to one side. Many people describe this as having a stiff neck. If neck pain involves compression of your nerves, you may feel numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm or hand.A common cause of neck pain is muscle strain or tension. Most often, everyday activities are to blame. Such activities include: Bending over a desk for hours Having poor posture while watching TV or reading Having your computer monitor positioned too high or too low Sleeping in an uncomfortable position Twisting and turning your neck in a jarring manner while exercising Lifting things too quickly or with poor posture Accidents or falls can cause severe neck injuries, such as vertebral fractures, whiplash, blood vessel injury, and even paralysis. Other causes include: Medical conditions, such as fibromyalgia Cervical arthritis or spondylosis Ruptured disk Small fractures to the spine from osteoporosis Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal) Sprains Infection of the spine ( osteomyelitis , discitis , abscess ) Torticollis Cancer that involves the spine.Treatment and self-care for your neck pain depend on the cause of the pain. You will need to learn: How to relieve the pain What your activity level should be What medicines you can take For minor, common causes of neck pain: Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Apply heat or ice to the painful area. Use ice for the first 48 to 72 hours, and then use heat after that. Apply heat with warm showers, hot compresses, or a heating pad. To prevent injury to your skin, DO NOT fall asleep with a heating pad or ice bag in place. Stop normal physical activity for the first few days. This helps calm your symptoms and reduce inflammation. Do slow range-of-motion exercises, up and down, side to side, and from ear to ear. This helps gently stretch the neck muscles. Have a partner gently massage the sore or painful areas. Try sleeping on a firm mattress with a pillow that supports your neck. You may want to get a special neck pillow. Ask your health care provider about using a soft neck collar to relieve discomfort. However, using collar for a long time can weaken neck muscles. Take it off from time to time to allow the muscles to get stronger.Seek medical help right away if you have: A fever and headache, and your neck is so stiff that you cannot touch your chin to your chest. This may be meningitis. Call your local emergency number (such as 911) or get to a hospital. Symptoms of a heart attack , such as shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, vomiting, or arm or jaw pain. Call your provider if: Symptoms do not go away in 1 week with self-care You have numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm or hand Your neck pain was caused by a fall, blow, or injury -- if you cannot move your arm or hand, have someone call 911 You have swollen glands or a lump in your neck Your pain does not go away with regular doses of over-the-counter pain medicine You have difficulty swallowing or breathing along with the neck pain The pain gets worse when you lie down or wakes you up at night Your pain is so severe that you cannot get comfortable You lose control over urination or bowel movements You have trouble walking and balancing.Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask about your neck pain, including how often it occurs and how much it hurts. Your provider will probably not order any tests during the first visit. Tests are only done if you have symptoms or a medical history that suggests a tumor, infection, fracture, or serious nerve disorder. In that case, the following tests may be done: X-rays of the neck CT scan of the neck or head Blood tests such as a complete blood count ( CBC ) MRI of the neck If the pain is due to muscle spasm or a pinched nerve, your provider may prescribe a muscle relaxant or a more powerful pain reliever. Over-the-counter medicines often work as well as prescription drugs. At times, your provider may give you steroids to reduce swelling. If there is nerve damage, your provider may refer you to a neurologist, neurosurgeon, or orthopedic surgeon for consultation.Pain - neck; Neck stiffness; Cervicalgia; Whiplash; Stiff neck.Spine surgery - discharge.Neck pain Neck pain Whiplash Whiplash Location of whiplash pain Location of whiplash pain.Cheng JS, Vasquez-Castellanos R, Wong C. Neck pain.