When You Wake Up With A Stiff Neck Or Neck Cramp
By hereandthere
@hereandthere (45628)
Philippines
July 28, 2017 10:44am CST
It's so ironic to wake up with a stiff neck when you've just had a full body massage the night before.
I didn't do anything at first, hoping it would go away by itself, so no medicine, ointments, liniments, hot compresses.
Eventually, when the cramp seem to have spread up to behind my ear and down to my shoulder blade, I searched around YouTube and tried some of the "quick fixes."
One was to lie sideways with arms out. Another was putting a folded towel under the affected shoulder. I haven't tried the one with the rolled-up towel around the neck yet.
The folded towel did help with the shoulder a bit, but my neck still hurts when I turn my head.
How do you treat a stiff neck?
Does your stiff neck last several days?
13 people like this
12 responses
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
28 Jul 17
After having a body massage the night before??? 
I got whiplash from a roller coaster ride when I was about 10. As an adult, it has haunted me at times - not being able to turn to one side without pain - it lasted for days, disappeared, and came back again when I didn't want it to - for years this went on. So I have found that if I kept stretching daily (discovered in my skating days), the pain doesn't come back. But I have to maintain that routine, or it will come back.
I got whiplash from a roller coaster ride when I was about 10. As an adult, it has haunted me at times - not being able to turn to one side without pain - it lasted for days, disappeared, and came back again when I didn't want it to - for years this went on. So I have found that if I kept stretching daily (discovered in my skating days), the pain doesn't come back. But I have to maintain that routine, or it will come back.4 people like this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
29 Jul 17
@hereandthere When the whiplash happened, it lasted like 2 months. And each time it came back thereafter, the pain was always in the same area, and when I turned my head that same direction - it was quite annoying. Did your neck pain finally go away?
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
30 Jul 17
@much2say still have it but mostly on the neck now
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
29 Jul 17
yeah, it's the first time it happened.
on and off for years? gosh!
2 people like this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
28 Jul 17
Yes I hate when this happens too. But I also have a bad neck from injury so I am used to neck and upper back pain. The best product I have ever used and still do it biofreeze, the cold/hot thing only last a couple minutes and the pain is better.
3 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
28 Jul 17
i think we have some tubes of bengay and icyhot. i can try that first.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (59699)
• Philippines
29 Jul 17
How do you treat a stiff neck? A hot compress will help but eventually it will go away on its own.
Does your stiff neck last several days? It shouldn't last any longer than two days from what I know.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (59699)
• Philippines
30 Jul 17
@hereandthere try to massage it. That will alleviate the pain.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
29 Jul 17
i still have it 
in fact, the first web article i read said it lasts a week 
in fact, the first web article i read said it lasts a week 1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
30 Jul 17
@allen0187 i don't think we should massage a stiff neck if we are not professional therapists. there may be some blood clots in the veins and these can become embolus, or a blood clot that travels. it is not really advisable to massage any part where there is also swelling.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
29 Jul 17
i should have done that immediately
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
30 Jul 17
@ridingbet when i have muscle aches i tend to buy alaxan
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
30 Jul 17
@hereandthere ibuprofen is an NSAID like Advil, maybe this will help. it has anti-inflammatory properties as well. if you take aspirin, please make sure that you have a full stomach because this medicine causes gastric irritation.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
29 Jul 17
they're unpredictable, aren't they?
1 person likes this
@DianneN (254949)
• United States
29 Jul 17
@hereandthere Very! And annoying, too! Hope you feel better now.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
28 Jul 17
it's annoying alright. i'm trying to avoid taking a muscle relaxant.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
30 Jul 17
I do stretches when my neck is stiff. Also take some ibuprofen to help with the inflammation.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91067)
• United States
29 Jul 17
I always alternate between ice and heat when I have any kind of ache or pains. Usually it helps
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
30 Jul 17
i hope your pillows are not so high, that your neck will be overly flexed or hyper-extended. as for me, i just try to move my neck joint in its range-of-motion, but i have not yet taken any pain medication for that. a cold pack helps reduce the pain
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20254)
•
29 Jul 17
The last time my niece got it, the doctor told her to use a lower pillow when sleeping. A quick fix: Voltaren Emulgel?
