I’m sure many of you have experienced the morning “pain in the neck”! Is there a chance of a serious medical condition going on when this happens? Yes! But there is a bigger chance that this is not serious. So let us answer a few questions that can rule out many of the serious “things” and provide you with the tools to help when or if you or someone you know encounters this situation.
The serious things, or “red flags” like trauma, tumors, infection and stroke need to be ruled out. To do so, ask yourself the following questions:
- Has there been any trauma recently?
- Do you have pain that wakes you up at night?
- Are there any lumps or bumps?
- Do you have a fever or unexplained weight loss?
- What is your overall health?
- Do you have any of the 5Ds And 3Ns? Dizziness, Diplopia (double vision), Drop attacks (a sudden fall that seems to happen without cause), Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and Dysarthria (difficulty speaking), Ataxia (poor muscle control causing clumsy movements), Numbness, Nystagmus (rapid uncontrollable eye movements), Nausea.
If you are not experiencing any of the above, then there is a good chance that the pain in your neck is not serious or in need of emergency care. This does not mean that your pain isn’t high or can’t be severe. Many musculoskeletal injuries can cause severe pain.
This most common cause of severe neck pain in the morning is a muscular spasm. Many things can cause muscular spasms including acute muscle strains, whiplash (strain and sprain to the neck), disc injuries, degenerative disc disease, dehydration, low calcium, and low magnesium. And there are many more causes not listed. All of these different causes can irritate the muscles that connect the shoulder to the neck, like the upper trapezius and levator scapulae, to produce a spasm and not allow your head to move. They may also alter the position of your head in a resting state with either a lateral tilt or rotation to one side.
While at home, heat is often my go to recommendation for muscular spasms. Heat is relaxing and will help the muscle relax. Please avoid heat though if your problem is due to an inflammatory process like rheumatoid arthritis or an acute strain. Cold may also be used to numb the nerve endings as there is likely pain associated with the prolonged muscle contraction. Cold will also help rid the area of any inflammation. Over the counter medications for pain or muscle relaxants may also be helpful. Once you are able to get comfortable, range of motion exercises should be started to try and gain motion. Once motion is re-established, strengthening the muscles of the neck is important to maintain mobility, endurance and prevent further irritations.
Are you currently experiencing neck pain? Contact us if you need further assistance or BOOK an appointment ONLINE. We look forward to helping you move better.