Finding Relief for Neck Sprains When Pain Has You Tied Up in Knots

Most people have woken up with a sore neck at least a time or two. If your pain lingers for a little while, though, could it be a neck sprain?

Neck pain can have many causes, and neck sprains and strains are among the most common. While the discomfort of these injuries will often go away on its own after a short period of time, knowing how to identify and treat a neck sprain can make your recovery less uncomfortable.

“While neck pain may seem like a simple thing, it can actually affect you in many different ways,” says Dr. Andrew Castro, board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon with the Beaufort Memorial Advanced Orthopedics and Spine Program. “You may experience neck pain that’s acute and fleeting, or it may be chronic, lingering for months. Neck pain may also affect only your neck, or it can travel into other areas of the body, including your shoulders or arms.”

Neck pain can have many different causes, including wear and tear on the spinal cord over time, stiffness related to stress or poor posture, and injuries, such as a neck sprain.

Can You Spot a Sprained Neck?

In many cases, we tend to group “sprains and strains” together as one type of injury. Both affect the soft tissues in the neck, which support and stabilize your cervical spine (the top part of your spine just below your head). However, a strain affects the muscles, while a sprain affects the ligaments.

Read More: Contusions, Sprains and Fractures: What’s the Difference?

Wondering whether you’ve experienced a neck sprain? Symptoms of neck sprains can include:

• Diminished range of motion, including when moving your head side to side, up and down, or in a circle
• A headache you feel mostly in the back of your head
• Muscle spasms in the tops of your shoulders
• Neck stiffness
• Numbness or tingling in the arms or hands
• Pain that gets worse when you move your neck

If you experience any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your medical provider.

How to Treat a Neck Sprain

If you have only mild discomfort, you can start with basic at-home care strategies to relieve pain — taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications and applying ice or heat for small periods of time.

More severe pain requires your provider’s help. You may benefit from muscle relaxants and physical therapy. You may also need to wear a cervical collar to protect and support your neck ligaments as they heal, but follow your provider’s instructions. Cervical collars can help relieve a neck strain when worn for short periods of time. Overusing them, however, can weaken your neck muscles.

As you recover, pay attention to serious warning signs. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop new symptoms, notice your symptoms are getting worse or can’t move an arm or leg.

Read More: Help for Back and Neck Pain: Is Surgery Always Necessary?

In most cases, neck sprains will heal within four to six weeks, but more severe sprains may take longer to heal completely. Neck sprains can be tricky because we routinely move our necks and heads throughout the day and even when sleeping.

To Prevent a Neck Sprain, Pay Attention to Posture

You won’t always be able to prevent injuries like neck sprains. After all, neck sprains and strains can occur if you fall or are in a car accident — what’s known as whiplash.

However, you can take some steps to lessen your risk of experiencing neck pain and injuries.

To start, reconsider how you use your electronic devices. We all spend a lot of time with our necks in awkward positions, staring at a computer screen or tilted downward toward a tiny smartphone screen, which can lead to “tech neck.” The excess strain caused by looking at screens can cause neck discomfort, stiffness and other related symptoms.

“Two of the best things you can do for your neck are to maintain good posture and to be mindful about how you’re using tech devices,” Dr. Castro says. “Hold your head up and hold the device out and away from your face. This can keep your neck in a more natural position, lowering the risk of injury.”

Dealing with the pain of a neck sprain? Request an appointment with a board-certified spine specialist at Beaufort Memorial.