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Stiff Neck: Causes, Symptoms and Remedies

Having a stiff neck is not comfortable. It can make performing normal daily tasks uncomfortable or painful. However, in most cases, a stiff neck isn’t serious and will resolve itself within a few days. Here are some common causes, symptoms and treatment methods for a stiff neck.

Causes of a Stiff Neck

Stiff Neck - Causes, Symptoms and RemediesThere can be many causes for a stiff neck. The cause of neck stiffness can be related to an individual’s posture or activities:

A person can also develop a stiff neck because of an underlying condition such as:

  • arthritis
  • traumatic injury (ie: a car accident, sports injury)
  • muscle spasm (see also: back spasms)

In rare cases a stiff neck is a sign of something much more serious, meningitis. Meningitis is a condition which causes inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord and can be quite serious. Symptoms of meningitis can include a stiff neck as well as a fever, headache, nausea, confusion and more.

Symptoms

A stiff neck usually makes it uncomfortable to move your neck or turn your head. It can also feel like your neck muscles are tight.

Remedies for a Stiff Neck

In most cases a stiff neck will resolve itself within a few days. Some methods for easing the pain include:

It may be time to contact your doctor about your stiff neck if:

  • it’s also accompanied by a fever and headache
  • you also have tingling or numbness in any part of your body
  • the pain has continued for several days and is not responding to the treatments mentioned above

 

References:

  1. https://www.webmd.com/children/understanding-meningitis-symptoms
  2. https://www.medicinenet.com/stiff_neck/symptoms.htm
  3. https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/why-does-my-neck-hurt#1
  4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neck_stiffness
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