A stiff neck is painful and can affect you in everyday life. We show you how to relieve the pain with natural home remedies and prevent a rigid neck.
A stiffer neck can suddenly occur, about overnight. Even if the stinging pain may have come out of nowhere for you, the blockade has usually been home to it for a long time.
The most common cause of a stiff neck and neck pain are posture problems as well as tense and overloaded muscles in the neck, back and shoulders. If left untreated, the muscles and harden. Your body then moves further into an incorrect posture to avoid the pain. At some point it only takes a small trigger until your neck completely stiffens. It is enough if you are stressed, get a difficult object incorrectly or are unfavorable at night.
Stiffer neck: symptoms
With a stiff neck, it is almost impossible to turn your head to the side or tilt it in the neck. If the muscles are permanently tense or are in an incorrect posture, they are so irritated that inflammatory processes are triggered. These are even more painful than pure tension – a blockade is the result.
Other physical symptoms can also go hand in hand with a stiff neck, such as:
- Headache
- Shoulder pain
- Arm pain
- Sleep problems
- dizziness
If left untreated, the symptoms of tension sound off after about three to four days. With home remedies you can do a lot to ensure that the stiff neck does not repeat and the pain in the neck subsides faster.
Loosen with heat tension
Warmth promotes blood flow to the muscles and thus relieves tension in the neck and neck. You will find an improvement after just a few minutes. There are many options: Kirschkern or herbal pillows, a hot water bottle or a warm towel are well suited. A hot shower can also relax quickly. You should repeat heat applications three to four times a day with a stiff neck.
If there is no improvement after several days, it may be that your muscle is already inflamed or other reasons cause the stiff neck. In this case, you should obtain medical advice.
Peppermint oil: home remedies for a stiff neck
Peppermint oil has a calming and pain reliever. The menthol contained therein relaxes the cramped muscles, the pain subsides. For an application with peppermint oil, add a few drops to about two warmed teaspoons with olive or coconut oil. Massage the oil mixture in slow movements on the neck and neck or ask someone to massage with it. The mint oil leaves a pleasant warmth after being on.
Cayenne pepper against stiff neck
Cayenne pepper contains valuable capsaicin, a fabric that is attributed to a pain -relieving and anti -inflammatory effect. So you turn the chili powder against a stiff neck:
- Add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to two tablespoons warmed up olive oil.
- Distribute the mixture to the aching areas of your neck.
- Put a towel over it and let the cayenne pepper work for a few hours.
Ginger is pain -relieving
Ginger is one of the all -rounders in naturopathy: it contains essential oils and valuable gingerole – bitter sharp fabrics that give it its characteristic taste. Ginger has a pain -relieving and anti -inflammatory effect and also helps to stimulate immune defense.
Applied internally, ginger has a pleasant warming effect on a stiff neck:
- Put some thin slices of fresh ginger in boiling water for a cup of ginger tea.
- Let the brew pull for about ten minutes and drink it warm.
Ginger tea in combination with a few splashes tastes particularly tasty.
Targeted exercises against a stiff neck
Even if your neck hurts heavily and seems to be immobile: small movements are now important. When you move your neck, the neck muscles are less tense and you counter your incorrect posture.
Neck exercises also make your muscles more supplied with blood, causing your stiff neck to heal faster. A few minutes of targeted neck exercises a day are enough to make it very flexible again. You can find recommended exercises here: Loosen tension: This is how you get pain on the shoulder, neck and back.
Prevent a stiff neck
So that a stiffer neck does not occur again, you should consider a few things and, if necessary, change:
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Especially posture: try to set up again and again in everyday life, to sit properly and to stand. A crooked back or a crooked posture can lead to renewed blockages in the long run.
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Sport: Regular sport of your choice is the best way to prevent a stiff neck. A sports unit in combination with targeted exercises for back and neck is ideal. Find the right sport for your needs and learn how you can motivate yourself sustainably to sport if sport is not yet part of your everyday life.
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Sleeping properly: make sure not to bed your head at night. It is best to use a pillow that is as flat as possible for a relaxed neck muscles.
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Right workplace: design your workplace ergonomically. Place the screen of your computer at eye level and possibly get a dynamic seat pad (for example at Amazon). Also pay attention to the most upright attitude of your back when sitting.
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Avoid drafts to prevent a stiff neck.
Revised by Annika Reketat
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