How to treat a stiff neck?
Torticollis hurt and can affect our daily activities. In addition, they often appear without warning and as a result, you can hardly move your head. The neck is so stuck that a simple breath seems very difficult to us!
You don’t know how to cure a torticollis? Here are tips and tricks to prevent, treat and relieve torticollis.
Tips for a torticollis:
1. Heat to heal a torticollis quickly
The first step to take when your neck gets stuck is to apply heat to it. This can be done using a hot compress, heating pad, hot water bottle, or magic bag.
Make yourself comfortable, and apply a heat source to the sore area for about fifteen minutes.
And for a lumbago is it better hot or cold? Come quickly read our article: Lumbago, hot or cold?
2. Tiger balm to treat torticollis
Here is a tip that combines heat and massage: tiger balm!
- Massage the neck with Tiger Balm which provides a feeling of soothing warmth.
- Then, to preserve this feeling, wrap a scarf around your neck and relax.
If you don’t have tiger balm at home, don’t panic, it is possible to get it at a low price online. 10-trucs.com offers you below a premium quality tiger balm based on camphor and essential oils.
Red Tiger Balm
- Relief for sore muscles and joints
- Sensation of soft and pleasant warmth
- Ideal for athletes
3. A grandmother’s remedy to cure torticollis
Because heat is your best ally to cure your torticollis, try this grandmother’s recipe:
- Heat a cabbage leaf using a hair dryer.
- Apply the cabbage leaf on the neck.
A grandmother’s trick that really seems to work to quickly relieve the pain caused by torticollis.
4. A good massage to relieve torticollis
To help loosen your neck, gently massage it to relax it. If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, ask your significant other to massage you!
Use a massage oil or lotion to avoid irritating the skin on your neck. You can even add relaxing essential oils, including lavender.
5. Essential oils to treat torticollis
Wondering which essential oils can help you relieve your torticollis? The most recommended are:
- camphor rosemary
- lemon eucalyptus
- wintergreen
To use them, you just have to add 5 drops to the same quantity of a neutral oil (olive, sweet almond, etc.) and massage the sore area with this mixture.
6. Take a painkiller to reduce torticollis pain
To relieve the pain caused by torticollis, take a pain reliever such as ibuprofen. Ibuprofen, in addition to calming the pain, has anti-inflammatory properties.
You could also opt for a drug combining ibuprofen and methocarbamol, which is a muscle relaxant. As this type of drug can cause dizziness, it is best to take it before bedtime, or at least refrain from driving.
7. Do you suffer from torticollis? Avoid sudden movements!
When you suffer from torticollis, you have no choice but to wait for it to pass. During this time, you should avoid sports and any sudden movements.
Also, do not carry anything heavy in your arms or on your shoulders. Instead, take advantage of this bad time to go by to relax and get help with your tasks.
8. Osteopathy or physiotherapy to relieve torticollis
Both of these techniques will be good for relieving and treating your torticollis. These are alternative medicines that will allow you to be relieved and more relaxed.
These specialists will know how to gently treat your torticollis in addition to relaxing your muscle contractures.
9. Wear a cervical collar to treat torticollis
This foam collar can be prescribed to you in order to put your neck at rest and to prevent you from overstraining the muscles of your neck.
However, it will be important not to wear it for more than 72 hours because it could weaken your muscle strap.
10. Relieve stiff neck with chamomile
Recognized for its calming properties, chamomile can also help relieve the pain caused by torticollis. To do this,
- Chop chamomile flowers and leaves.
- Mix everything with olive or sweet almond oil.
- Then massage the neck with this oil to soothe the pain of torticollis.
11. A clay poultice to quickly heal a torticollis
Take advantage of the calming and anti-inflammatory properties of the clay to make a poultice.
- Add some hot water to clay and apply this paste on the sore area of your neck.
- Remove the poultice once it is dry, and repeat the operation 3 times a day.
It is quite possible to avoid torticollis, by following these few tips:
- Try a new pillow: As a general rule, it’s best to use a pillow that keeps your cervical spine in neutral alignment, which means the natural curve of your neck is supported and maintained. You will find orthopedic pillows on the market that will prevent neck pain.
- Sleep on your back: In general, sleeping on your back is the best position to allow your spine to rest comfortably. Some people with neck problems find it best to sleep on their back and place a pillow under each arm, the idea being that supporting each arm relieves the neck. If you prefer to sleep on your side, make sure your pillow is not too high. The ideal pillow height should prevent your head and neck from bending unnaturally to one side or the other.
- Make sure your computer screen is at eye level: Sit comfortably in front of your computer and close your eyes. When you open them, your gaze should be directly on the top third of your computer screen. If you find you need to look down, you need to raise your monitor. Laptops most often require you to tilt your head down to see the screen. It is therefore often very useful to connect your laptop to a separate screen.
- Avoid neck strain from texting: Texting or staring at your cell phone or mobile device for an extended period of time puts strain on your neck. Part of the way to avoid neck damage from texting is to raise the phone or mobile device to eye level, keep the duration to a minimum and take frequent breaks.
If you happen to have pain in the upper back, we invite you to read these other tips: Relieve the upper back.