[jamaicabound]

So Friday night I fell asleep on the couch with my neck at like a 90 degree angle. Have been incredibly stiff and sore since. I've watched some Youtube videos and done some stretches and stuff nothing seems to help, going on day 5 and still stiff as hell.

I was considering dropping in at a local chiropractor who takes walkins, I've never been.

Anyone have any suggestions for stretches or anything that's worked for you?

[robreke]

(06-15-2017 12:08 PM)jamaicabound Wrote:  

So Friday night I fell asleep on the couch with my neck at like a 90 degree angle. Have been incredibly stiff and sore since. I've watched some Youtube videos and done some stretches and stuff nothing seems to help, going on day 5 and still stiff as hell.

I was considering dropping in at a local chiropractor who takes walkins, I've never been.

Anyone have any suggestions for stretches or anything that's worked for you?

Yes, go to a chiropractor.

If you can find a NUCCA practitioner all the better. If none in your area, pick one with good reviews.

[Jeptomf]

I used to have a reoccuring neck mis alignment which caused major immobility and pain. The chiropractors had a hard time getting my T6 vertebrae back in position. I'm talking like 3 months of pain. I hate chiropractors so I started doing yoga once every two weeks minimum and working out. Now I have a healthy and strong spine. Sometimes I do have my T6 pop out of alignment but I can correct it with a heating pad for an hour at least on high. Then I proceed to do controlled stretches specifically downward dog and upward dog. You can do them against the shower wall while standing. The key is to understand that the muscles inflame and tighten around the vertebraes which makes it difficult to realign the spine until you use heat to soften the muscles. Then you can use updog/downdog in a carefully controlled manner to re align the spine. Remember that you will have to learn what aligned is since your neck will still be sore even after the vertebraes are aligned correctly. I am not a doctor but these routines have changed my life for the better. And so has RVF. Thanks guys and I hope this helps.

[Investment Bro]

Two things I would consider (after visiting the chiropractor):

1: Do band pull-aparts. Those have helped me destroy all manner of shoulder, neck, and trap pain. 5 sets of 20 with an exercise band at chest level, and then above my head does wonders.
2: Invest in a pillow that will keep the vertebrae in your neck neutral. Generally you want a pillow that forms an upside down C. It won't fix your problem, but it will prevent it from getting worse. Check out Vinnie Rehab on Instagram, he actually has a guide to picking the right pillow.

[YossariansRight]

(06-15-2017 12:21 PM)robreke Wrote:  

(06-15-2017 12:08 PM)jamaicabound Wrote:  

So Friday night I fell asleep on the couch with my neck at like a 90 degree angle. Have been incredibly stiff and sore since. I've watched some Youtube videos and done some stretches and stuff nothing seems to help, going on day 5 and still stiff as hell.

I was considering dropping in at a local chiropractor who takes walkins, I've never been.

Anyone have any suggestions for stretches or anything that's worked for you?

Yes, go to a chiropractor.

If you can find a NUCCA practitioner all the better. If none in your area, pick one with good reviews.

I second this^^. A GOOD chiropractor can be a lifesaver.

[Leonard D Neubache]

Get a heat pack big enough to fit around your neck. Maybe one of the ones you can heat up in the microwave for example. Lie flat and wrap it around your neck.

Obviously professional help is best, but if I didn't have the means to see a professional I'd get a heat pack out.

[TravelerKai]

A Tens device from Walgreens or CVS would fix that, but you kinda need to know where to place them properly. Me personally I would go to an acupuncture person in the local Chinatown, because that would be a super fast fix, like immediately, much faster than a chiropractor.

[Baphomet]

With all due respect, chiropractors are quacks. The chiropractor's cure in this case will be needless x-rays (you'll be told that you have abnormal vertebrae) and about 6 return visits so he can really help with the undetectable, and invisible "subluxations" of your spine. And he'll probably crack your neck and do some simple massage therapy. Of these, only the massage is helpful.

You'd likely have better or at worst, equivalent results going to a physical therapist.

Time, warmth, gentle stretching, and applied massage are your best bets. There is no magic cure for this. Certainly not in the chair of a quack-a-practor.

[MOVSM]

[Leonard D Neubache]

Baphomet is right.

Chiropractors are like a mechanic that only changes parts and ignores fluids.

"Your bones are out of place. I'll crack them back but ignore the underlying muscle and tendon issues that caused it in the first place, ensuring you'll soon be back".

Go to a physiotherapist.

[Rossi]

Gotta go to chiropractor.

I had the same problem and I went to chiropractor and he adjusted everything in few minutes.

[DrugAdvisor]

If youre not looking to go out of the house, try some Magnesium oil to massage on the affected areas.

The rest works well with post exercise recovery

[scotian]

I'm currently sat in a chair with a heat pad on my upper back and neck and also took a couple of ibuprofen, I also messed up my back and neck after a six hour flight and sleeping in a shitty bed. Its been two weeks and two chiropractor visits, which alleviated some of the pain after manipulating my neck and back but I'm still waking up with pain. I've had these recurring problems after being rear ended in a car accident twelve years ago, usually the pain/stiffness goes away after a couple of days but this time its a lot worse which is why I went to the chiro. I've done physiotherapy which was great but I found that it was more of a long term fix whereas the chiro was able to relieve some pain immediately. I think I may due some acupuncture soon and will try some yoga moves at home.

One good piece of advice that the chiropractor gave was to not just forget about these problems as they go away because stiffness in the neck can lead to arthritis in later years, he recommended yoga and of course, more chiro visits. Its something I will pay more attention to as I age because having arthritis in the neck sounds terrible!

[JayD]

Go to one of those $20 neck and shoulder massages at a Thai place. They will give you a good beating and you will be great after. Ask for some balm as well.

[TravelerKai]

(06-17-2017 12:41 AM)Leonard D Neubache Wrote:  

Baphomet is right.

Chiropractors are like a mechanic that only changes parts and ignores fluids.

"Your bones are out of place. I'll crack them back but ignore the underlying muscle and tendon issues that caused it in the first place, ensuring you'll soon be back".

Go to a physiotherapist.

I wouldn't say they are quacks, but mine is a Chiro and a licensed Physical Therapist. He took care of my muscle spasms, with heat and electro therapy, and never sublaxed my spine once, because he knew that was the underlying cause. Dude had all kinds of awards on his wall. He told me to give him 2 weeks and that I would never come back to him again. He was right. Still haven't been back to his office.

Acupuncture though did what he did for me 6 years later, in 2 sessions, that took him 2 months.

I stick with acupuncture now and I do the electro therapy with my own Tens device I bought at Walgreens. If the OP goes to a Physical Therapist, all they are going to do is fill up a hot water pad and towel put it on his neck and attach electrodes on his traps near his neck to make that muscle relax and stop pulling on his spine in the wrong direction.

This is the one I bought. Has a bunch of different modes for all kinds of issues.

These things used to cost 200-300 bucks back in the day. Now the technology is much cheaper and it's realistic to own your own Tens device.

[heavy]

(06-17-2017 12:41 AM)Leonard D Neubache Wrote:  

Baphomet is right.

Chiropractors are like a mechanic that only changes parts and ignores fluids.

"Your bones are out of place. I'll crack them back but ignore the underlying muscle and tendon issues that caused it in the first place, ensuring you'll soon be back".

Go to a physiotherapist.

Says every person that's never been helped by a chiro. I had a chiro fix my scoliosis in high school.

I had one fix my lower back earlier this year.

They aren't the be all end all, but they've worked for me for a few things. Good chiropractors will tell you to go ahead and see a physical therapist if needed, and for certain things. Good chiros will teach you different exercises to help your muscles and tendons.

[TravelerKai]

Correction

Quote:

Acupuncture though did what he did for me 6 years later, in 2 sessions, that took him 2 months.

Acupuncture though did what he did for me 6 years later, in 2 sessions, that took him 2 Weeks.

[nomadbrah]

(06-16-2017 08:37 AM)Leonard D Neubache Wrote:  

Get a heat pack big enough to fit around your neck. Maybe one of the ones you can heat up in the microwave for example. Lie flat and wrap it around your neck.

Obviously professional help is best, but if I didn't have the means to see a professional I'd get a heat pack out.

First of all, might want to be visit your normal doctor to rule out a disc prolapse. I had one and they told me it was just strained neck.

Otherwise, this is my go to for neck pain:







Wrap the heat pad around the neck pillow.

Use Tiger Balm to massage into muscles.

Get a massage if possible, deep tendon massage, Asian style preferably, wouldn't trust Thai massages in the West to do this, but they're good at shoulder and neck massage.

If just one thing, then go get some Tiger Balm, works wonders.

[Handsome Creepy Eel]

You haven't dislodged any vertebrae, it's just the inflamed neck muscles pressing on them uncomfortably, causing pain and restricting your range of movement. It's normal for it to last up to 2 weeks. Gently massage the neck with an ointment known around the world as Tiger Balm (a camphor / menthol mixture) that will reduce the inflammation.

Whatever you do, try to keep your head in as normal position as possible; keeping it angled to minimize the strain all the time will produce pain in adjacent muscles later as this one starts to go away due to the long unnatural position, so you can get into a long cycle of one muscle getting inflamed, leading to another, then another, etc.