Stiff neck is a condition in which an individual is not able to move his or her neck properly. The problem of stiff neck is often accompanied with pain in neck. A few people also have headache due to stiff neck.  Stiff neck, also known as arthritis in the neck, can occur due to several causes.

A few common causes of stiff neck include exposure of neck to cold breeze; talking on mobile for a long period of time without using headset; and sleeping without adequate support of pillows. Apart from these common causes, stiffness in neck can also occur due to playing or watching tennis match. Swimming can also cause pain and stiffness in neck.

There are several remedies which can help to ease arthritis in the neck. With the help of home remedies discussed in this article, the inflammation, pain and muscular stress in neck would be reduced to a great extent. Further, you’ll be able to observe an improvement in the movement of neck with the help of stiff neck remedies discussed below.

Home Remedies For A Stiff Neck

Provide Heat To Neck

Providing heat to the neck would help in easing the stiff muscles. Blood circulation in the neck would be improved as you provide heat to the neck.

A few effective ways of providing heat to the neck are using wet towel soaked in hot water, standing in hot shower, and using hot water bottle on neck. The heat should be provided to the neck only for a short time period. Excessive heat may worsen the condition of the neck, and aggravate the pain.

Apply Ice Pack On Neck

Application of ice pack on the neck is a very good stiff neck treatment. The inflammation in the neck due to stiffness would be reduced considerably with the help of use of ice packs on the neck.

Crushed ice is placed in plastic bag and covered with a cloth to prepare the ice pack. This ice pack is then applied on the neck for around fifteen minutes to ease inflammation and stiffness in neck.

Get Rid Of Stress

Emotional stress is one of the causes of pain and stiffness in the neck. With the help of managing stress, you would be able to deal with the problem of stiff neck effectively. Relaxation and stress relieving techniques like meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga are considered to be successful stiff neck remedies.

Neck Massage

Massaging the neck with some lotion or oil is a very effective stiff neck treatment. It is first recommended to ease the muscles of neck by providing heat through hot shower or hot water bottle, and then tell someone to massage your neck and shoulders. This home treatment for stiff neck would help in easing the pain and stiffness in neck in a very effective way, and would allow you to enjoy a sound sleep at night.

Photo Credit: Liangong.com

All the above discussed home remedies for stiff neck would really help in improving the flexibility and movement of neck, while getting rid of pain in the neck. Apart from these remedies, it is also advised to practice good posture and avoid talking on mobile for a long time to speed up the recovery process.