Stiff Neck Relief: Sleeping, Working, Lingering Pain
Medically reviewed by David Kesselman, DC
A stiff neck can range from bothersome to debilitating. If you have neck stiffness, you are probably looking for a way to find relief. There are quite a few reasons you could have a stiff neck, including:
Sleeping position
Poor posture
Overuse or injury
"Text neck"
Stress
Not exercising
Some ways to treat a stiff neck at home include stretching, alternating heat and ice, and taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication. This article shares information on solutions for neck stiffness, including immediate, short, and long-term relief.
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What to Do for Stiff Neck Pain
In most cases, a stiff neck will go away within a few days to weeks. However, it can be quite uncomfortable during this time. Below are ways to relieve a stiff neck.
How Does a Stiff Neck Feel?
A stiff neck may feel painful, sore, and uncomfortable, especially when you move it in certain directions. Your range of movement may be limited, and it may feel like you have a "block" in certain areas of your neck, preventing you from turning your head from side to side.
Stretches for Stiff Neck
You may find some relief for neck stiffness with gentle range-of-motion exercises and stretches. Some of these stretches may immediately relieve pain and help in the long term when done regularly.
Stretches for a stiff neck include:
Touch your chin to your chest and then slowly looking up toward the ceiling.
Turn your head side to side, looking over each shoulder.
Look straight ahead, tuck your chin slightly in (as if giving yourself a "double chin"), and out.
Bend your right ear to your right shoulder, then slowly bend your left ear to your left shoulder.
Slowly rotate your neck in circles, then reverse the direction.
Bend your neck forward at a 45-degree angle to the right, using your hand to gently assist and hold at the furthest point comfortably, then repeat on the left.
Avoid any stretches or movements that increase your pain, and take it slowly. You may want to hold stretches in sore areas if it feels good.
Massage the Muscles
In the case of muscle tension, sprain, or strain, you may find some pain relief by massaging the muscles in your neck, head, shoulders, and back. You can do this, have someone else assist, or see a licensed massage therapist. Neck pain relief from massage is often temporary.
Change Your Sleeping Position
An awkward sleeping position is a common trigger for neck stiffness and pain. Therefore, changing your sleeping position is one way to treat neck stiffness.
Try using a low and firm pillow to provide support but maintain alignment of the natural curves of your spine while you sleep. Side sleepers may want to buy a special type of pillow built to support your neck on its side.
Adjust Your Posture
Changing your posture can help with neck pain and tight neck muscles. Many people have poor posture, putting undue stress and tension on delicate spine areas, including the neck.
You can improve your posture by consciously changing your position or using assistive devices like wearable posture correctors. Back and core exercises, strengthening, and consulting with a physical therapist can also help.
Use Technology Differently
How we hold our smartphones or look at our computers brings the neck out of alignment and into an unnatural forward flexion. This type of stiff neck has become such a big problem that it has a term to describe it: text neck syndrome.
You can treat or prevent neck stiffness from text neck syndrome by changing the positioning of your devices. For example:
Use screens (laptop and phone) at eye level.
Avoid looking down and bending your neck forward to look at your phone screen for too long.
Use earbuds or speakerphones when talking on the phone to avoid bending your head to the side.
Hot or Cold Packs
Applying heat or cold can help with neck stiffness.
Cold packs will be most helpful if the neck pain is acute, meaning it started suddenly and lasts for a short time, and you can identify a particular area of the neck that's most sore. Be sure not to keep a cold pack on for too long to avoid frostbite.
Heat application can relieve tension and soreness, as well. You may use a microwavable hot pack, a warm wet compress, or sit in a hot whirlpool tub. This can typically relieve neck pain within a day or two.
Over-the-Counter Pain Medication
Research shows that oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) effectively treat neck pain symptoms.
Types of NSAIDs include:
Advil, Motrin (ibuprofen)
Aleve (naproxen)
Bayer, Ecotrin, Bufferin (aspirin)
Follow the directions on the container for dosage, and be sure to get approval from a healthcare provider if you are taking other medications or supplements.
Stress Relief
Emotional stress can directly lead to neck pain, whether it's a stressful time at work, a long and difficult drive, or relationship stress. When stressed, we may inadvertently adopt protective positions such as hunching forward or tensing and lifting the shoulders.
Some ways to reduce stress and relieve neck stiffness include:
Progressive relaxation
Relaxing to music
Baths
Meditation
Enjoyable hobbies
Journaling
Regular exercise
Stiff Neck: Common Causes of Muscle Pain
Our necks are complicated structures with many muscles, vertebrae, intervertebral disks, ligaments, tendons, and more. As such, there are a few different common causes of neck pain.
Below are possible causes of neck pain:
Muscle strain or tension
Bruxism (teeth grinding)
Cervical spondylosis (a type of arthritis)
Mild vs. Severe Causes of a Stiff Neck
It's common to wake up with a stiff neck due to muscle tension or to develop a stiff neck after a period of stress at work. However, there are also more severe symptoms of neck stiffness that you should look out for, including the following:
Any numbness, tingling, or neurological signs
Weakness on one or both sides of the body
Balance problems
Fever and chills
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Confusion
These signs could indicate a more severe or life-threatening cause of neck stiffness, such as meningitis or spinal cord injury.
Related: Why Does Your Neck Hurt? 5 Neck Pain Causes
Stiff Neck and Movement: What to Avoid
When you have a stiff neck, specific movements might be painful, and you may consider immobilizing your neck or using a neck brace. But think again; in most cases, restricting neck movement with a stiff neck is counterproductive.
Maintaining some movement to relieve tension is crucial so your neck muscles don't "lock up" further. Sudden movements or movements in specific directions are often more painful, whereas slower movement is more tolerable. Try to continue moving your neck with gentle, slow stretches.
The only exception is if a healthcare provider has asked you to immobilize your neck with a collar due to a suspected fracture or similar injury.
You should also limit or avoid activities that require a full range of motion in your neck for safety. For example, if you can't turn your neck side to side, you may need to limit driving until you can safely and comfortably check your blind spots. Other examples include riding a bike, certain swimming strokes, skiing, and certain work tasks.
Stiff Neck Not Getting Better
You may be worried about a stiff neck if over-the-counter pain medications offer no relief or if the stiffness doesn't resolve. Neck pain usually goes away after a few weeks.
If your neck pain persists after this point, or you have any of the warning signs mentioned previously, you should talk to a healthcare provider.
Some steps your healthcare provider might take include:
Performing a physical examination
Discussing your symptoms and neck stiffness history
Ordering imaging tests, such as X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Ordering blood tests for viral or bacterial infections
Referring you to neck pain specialists, such as a physical therapist, osteopathic physician, or chiropractor
Summary
A stiff neck is typically the result of a specific incident or injury, but in some cases, it can be due to bacterial or viral infections. Most stiff necks go away within a few weeks. You can find relief with home treatments such as stretching, massage, hot and cold application, and over-the-counter pain medication.
