Stiff Neck

I have had a terrible stiff neck for two weeks? I have had a stiff neck before because I work at a computer all day and have two little ones at home but it has never lasted this long. It seems high in my neck and the muscles are sore all the way in the front of my neck and up my head. When I try to turn my head from side to side I get a sharp pain. I didn't do anything to hurt my neck (no accident or anything)

[mareke]

I have the same thing. I’m 56 and have had a bad neck for many years with a lot of arthritis in it but my neck got much worse fairly suddenly several weeks ago. I woke one morning to find my neck stiffer than usual and even slight sideways movement of my head or looking up brought excruciating pain. I believe in my case the sudden increased stiffness and pain was caused by sleeping with my neck in an awkward position leading to my cricking my neck. What worries me is that my neck seems to be getting gradually worse and sleeping in an awkward position has never caused this sort of stiffness and pain before.

Your pain most likely will go away in time but you should make sure you sleep with your neck supported and in line with your spine. I now sleep with a soft cervical collar on (obtainable from a pharmacy) and it helps support my neck and stop it from kinking while I sleep. Since you have had a stiff neck before you should get it checked by a rheumatologist as you may have the early signs of arthritis in your neck and if you do a physiotherapist could give you some exercises to do to help (swimming is a good exercise as the repeated turning of the head sideways to breathe while your head is supported by the water would help keep the neck loose).

To stretch my neck each morning I use a device I rigged up years ago. It may sound weird but I rigged up a contraption consisting of weights normally used in a gym for muscle building. I put several weights weighing 35 kg (about 77 lb) together and a sturdy broad cloth strap through the centre of the weights the end of which I tied to a metal shackle I bought from a hardware store which is larger than the hole in the middle of the weights so the shackle would support the weights.

The other end of the strap being from a canvas carry bag already has a loop in it that is adjustable and I lie on a table and put the loop end of the strap around my neck and gradually lower the 35 kg of weights down from a chair they rest on until the weights hang unsupported off my neck. This stretches the muscles and ligaments in my neck and moves the vertebrae apart a little and sometimes the relief from stiffness and pain I get from doing this makes it feel like I have a new neck! I think my neck would be worse than it is now if I didn’t regularly do this. I suspect that this is more effective than treatment by a professional that treats such problems through manipulation of bones, ligaments and muscles and it’s a whole lot cheaper!