Neck spasms are very common. Often times, neck spasms result from a seemingly low stress turn of the head. Other times, a neck spasm occurs when carrying a heavy object or falling asleep in an uncomfortable position.
They typically act this way as a protective mechanism, to prevent what they think could be damaging.
A neck spasm is a sudden, involuntary tightening of the muscles in your neck. It can happen when the muscles contract too quickly or stay tense for a long time, causing pain and stiffness. Neck spasms can be triggered by muscle strain, poor posture, stress, or even sleeping in an awkward position.
When they occur, you might feel a sharp or tight pain in your neck, making it hard to move your head. Sometimes, the pain spreads to your shoulders or upper back. Most neck spasms go away on their own, but stretching, heat, massage, and physical therapy can help relieve the discomfort.
Most neck spasms go away on their own, but stretching, heat, massage, and physical therapy can help relieve the discomfort. Heat provides blood flow to muscles, which in turn helps relax the sudden tightening. Soft tissue work, like massaging, can also help improve blood flow to muscles
Gentle stretching. You don't want to crank very hard on muscles that are holding tight in contraction. We need to calmly convince them to relax on their own.
If you are experiencing frequent neck spasms from small movements, it's likely that the muscles of your neck are overworking. In those cases, physical therapy can help prevent postures and movements that result in eventual neck spasms. Experienced physical therapist can then identify which muscles to strengthen to prevent future issues
If you have neck pain and spasms reach out to our office today!