Neck pain
In this section you’ll find information about neck pain and other related symptoms. We’ll go over the most common diagnoses, the muscles that may be involved, and treatment and self-care strategies that can help you improve.
You’ll also find warning signs (red flags) that indicate when you need to see a doctor without delay.
1. Common symptoms and diagnoses
Symptoms:
- Neck, throat, and nape pain.
- Stiffness, muscle tension, a locked neck, weakness, and cervical instability.
Diagnoses:
- Torticollis
2. Possible muscles involved
Trapezius
- Common symptoms: Pain in the neck and nape. A feeling of dizziness, hardness, and stiffness in the muscle itself. Headaches, migraines.
- Complete self-treatment.
Levator scapulae
- Common symptoms: Pain in the neck, the back of the neck, and the superior angle of the scapula. Stiffness, torticollis, and inability to turn the head toward the affected side.
- Complete self-treatment.
Paravertebral muscles
- Common symptoms: Deep, dull pain in the neck and nape, pain in the cervical vertebrae and the upper angle of the scapula. Weakness, stiffness, fatigue, difficulty keeping the head upright.
- Complete self-treatment.
Scalenes
- Common symptoms: Neck, arm, and forearm pain, pain between the shoulder blades and in the chest. Tingling sensation, numb and weak hand (thoracic outlet syndrome). Tennis elbow.
- Complete self-treatment.
Sternocleidomastoid
- Common symptoms: Pain in the forehead, eyebrow, face, ear, throat, behind the ear, and in the occipital region. A feeling of dizziness, instability, ear infection, tinnitus, dysphagia.
- Complete self-treatment.
3. Treatments
The goal of treatment is to reduce pain, improve mobility, and restore normal function in the affected area. In most cases, these symptoms are related to muscle issues, overload, or lack of movement, and can improve with simple self-care measures.
Treatment techniques: These self-applied techniques will help you reduce pain and improve function and quality of life.
● Compression of tender points
Apply gradually increasing pressure on painful points for 60–90 seconds to reduce muscle tension and pain.
● Self-massage: Self-massage helps reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, and decrease pain.
Do longitudinal, transverse, or fascial massage strokes to relax the muscles and improve mobility.
● Post-isometric relaxation and stretching: They help normalize muscle tone, reduce stiffness, and restore movement.
● Mobility and strengthening: They improve function, reduce overload and stiffness, and help prevent relapses. They also improve tolerance for activities of daily living.
It’s the most effective strategy in the medium and long term.
● Habit changes: Small day-to-day changes can make a big difference:
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Avoid holding prolonged postures.
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Take active breaks.
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Change position frequently.
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Adjust and make the most of your work environment if needed.
Access the specific treatment in the “possible muscles involved” section.
4. Red flags
If you have these symptoms, see a doctor without delay:
- Very intense neck pain with sudden onset.
- Fever, neck stiffness, high blood pressure.
- Weakness in the arm and hand, loss of grip strength when holding objects.
- Persistent tingling in the arm and hand.
- Lack of coordination and balance.
- An electric shock sensation when bending the neck.
- Loss of bowel or bladder control.
- Persistent pain after trauma, a fall after a neck movement.
