A crick is a joint that has stopped moving, usually in the neck. The joint is no longer moving through it’s normal range and the muscle tightness around it is responding to that lack of movement. It’s not a torn or pulled muscle, it’s a response to the joint rather than the cause.
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Why did my neck lock up overnight?
The crick happened because you held one position for hours and initial movement upon waking up is the final trigger. A long time holding the same position, either sleeping or sitting at a desk, it the set up to a crick starting.
What actually helps a crick in your neck?
Start by gently moving your neck through its normal ranges of motion. You’ll want to slowing look down, look up, turn to look over each shoulder, and finally tilt your head to both sides. Avoid “rolling” the neck, as the joints are not best suited for that movement. Any movement that hurts, make a mental note to how far you can move each time to see if it’s loosening up or if it remains unchanged after each time through that movement.
When dealing with a crick, many patients will immediately apply heat or use an ointment that generates heat in the muscles. Before attempting that, make sure you use the back of your hand (not the palm) to feel the area of the neck that is the most restricted. Compare it to the other side if you aren’t sure. You’re testing to see if the neck is already hot, if it already feels warm to the touch.
If it’s already hot, you don’t need to add more heat. You’ll need to do the opposite. If you feel any additional warmth on one side, grab an ice pack and use that for about 10 minutes, then repeat the neck movements from before to see if anything’s changed.
If it’s not warm to the touch, heat is probably a good thing to use within reason. Think of it more as gentle warming and not trying to scald your neck or make it super hot. Making it too hot may cause further aggravation or inflammation in the joints and create a different problem.
What should you not do when your neck is locked?
If you find that nothing is changing, and the neck pain starts getting worse, your next thought may be to force a neck movement by pushing your head through that range of motion. Or worse, you may attempt to “crack”your own neck. The problem with self-adjusting is that you are not going to get the joint that’s stuck. You are going to get the joint that is above or below that level to pop, but you won’t get a lasting result. Even worse you can aggravate everything and make your whole crick situation worse.
How long does a crick usually take to settle?
If it’s truly a “crick” and not something more serious, it should start to resolve within a few hours of waking if you do the steps listed above. A mild crick shouldn’t last longer than the day. You can try repeating the steps and possibly taking an over the counter anti-inflammatory if you want to give yourself more relief.
When is a stiff neck worth getting looked at?
A “crick” should be a rare occurrence and not something you are experiencing often. If you have a joint out of place and your body keeps warning you and protecting you through the muscle guarding of a crick, you are receiving information that something more is going on. We frequently see new patients that walk in unable to move their neck because this morning’s crick was the worst it had ever been and none of the usual treatments tried are working.
That’s when we do our examination and take any necessary x-rays to the area. Then we take measurements and really look at what’s happening with your neck. Someone that’s been dealing with reoccurring cricks for years may already be showing changes to their spine, including degenerative changes. Once we know it’s safe to adjust you, we get in and move the stuck vertebral segment and restore the right range of motion.
Even when someone cannot move their neck, we are able to adjust that area because our adjusting style does not require a lot of neck rotation to get the joint to move. We then follow up the adjustment with electrical stimulation and ice make sure nothing continues to flare up. Most patients will ice once or twice more at home before coming back for any follow up visits.
Frequently asked questions
Is a crick in your neck the same as a muscle strain? Usually not. A strain tends to follow a clear moment, like lifting something or a fall, and it hurts when the muscle works. A crick usually shows up when you wake up. It locks your neck in one direction while the other direction still turns.
Should you use heat or ice for a crick in your neck? Heat (unless the area is already warm). Warmth makes it easier to start moving, and moving is what a locked joint needs. Ice most often more sense after a clear injury, like a fall or a car accident, in the first day or two.
Why does the same side of my neck keep locking up? It’s usually something in your daily activities. Something is loading that side the same way every day, like a second monitor off to one side or a phone held on one shoulder. The spot that keeps locking often isn’t moving normally even on the good days.