Tweaked my neck - what to do?

[RyanRF]

I tweaked my neck yesterday afternoon. I'm not sure whether it happened during tennis or shortly after.

When my neck is straight and upright, there is no pain. However, as soon as tilt it to my left, I feel a sharp pain in the left side of my neck. Turning my head to the left also hurts, but not as bad.

I was able to keep my neck straight last night so I slept okay, but when I woke up this morning the pain was just as bad as yesterday.

Are there any stretches I can do to to help ease the pain?
How long should it take before my neck starts to feel better?
At what point should I see a doctor if it doesn't start feeling better?

 

[x5150]

Tilt your head as far left as you can before pain. Hold it there, put your right hand against your head and try to tilt your head back to the right against the palm of your hand (but keep head in same place), hold for 8 - 10 seconds, repeat. Turn your head to left, put hand on head and try to turn to left in the same line of motion you would turning head to right. Again keep palm on right side of head and keep head in same place. The end result is more range of motion tilting and turning your head.

Have a chiropractor adjust your neck and spine. Get a deep tissue massage on your neck and back, take Aleeve for ibuprofin, drink water. Put Salonpas or mineral ice on for pain relief or use a heat pad.

 

[RyanRF]

Tilt your head as far left as you can before pain. Hold it there, put your right hand against your head and try to tilt your head back to the right against the palm of your hand (but keep head in same place), hold for 8 - 10 seconds, repeat. Turn your head to left, put hand on head and try to turn to left in the same line of motion you would turning head to right. Again keep palm on right side of head and keep head in same place. The end result is more range of motion tilting and turning your head.

Whoa... that really worked. Thanks so much.

 

[x5150]

Whoa... that really worked. Thanks so much.

Cool! Glad it worked, I went through major neck and back issues for about 2 years.

btw, this line should read,

"Turn your head to left, put hand on head and try to turn *in the same line of motion you would turning head to right."

but I guess you figured that out.


For neck injury preventative stuff, hold a stretchy band in front a little more than shoulder width apart, and then do a push up motion standing up, focusing on pinching your back shoulder area together (same as what you should be doing when doing sitting rows with weights). Also do light weights high rep back exercises. Another stretch is to stand in the doorway, put your arms out to the sides parallel with shoulders then hands up at 90 degrees and step forward so that you will press against the walls with your hands. Raise hand higher and repeat. This is actually more for your shoulders but also gets the neck/back area.