The so called stiff neck is the presence of pain with the movement of the neck and accompanied by disability to turn or move the head. The pain and the contraction can be radiated to the shoulders or the head.
The most frequent reason of the stiff neck is an irritation of the cervical nerves wherefore secondarily appears a contraction or spasm of the muscles of the neck.
The most common reasons of this irritation are:
- Sudden movements of the neck.
- Traumatic injury (lash).
- To sleep in an inconvenient position.
- Anxiety.
- Secondary to a slipped disc at cervical level.
The following symptoms can appear:
- Pain of the muscles of the neck and the shoulder
- Inability to turn the head, in general is kept towards one side.
- Contraction of the muscles of the neck.
The treatment in general is based on:
- Resting the muscles of the neck, if necessary to put on a cervical collar.
- Application of local heat.
- Application of ultrasounds.
- Therapeutic massage.
- Muscle relaxant Medicines (in occasions).