Learning about the home remedies for stiff neck can help you deal with a crick in your neck, which is otherwise a harmless problem very effectively, so that you don’t have to spend the rest of the day acting like you had some kind of paralysis in your neck.
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A cricked neck or a stiff neck can be a real pain if not treated properly. However, because it is not serious at all, it is also difficult to find medical or therapeutic remedies which can help you recover within a couple of hours. Lucky for you, we have compiled for you some of the best home remedies for stiff neck, which can help you recover in no time. The best part is, all these remedies are completely natural and non-intrusive, which can heal your problem without any side effects.
Before we learn about these home remedies, let us check out the common causes which might lead to your developing this condition in the first place. The most common causes of a cricked neck include:
- Sleeping in an odd position
- Hard pillows
- Sitting for prolonged hours
- Trauma or injury
- Playing sports
- Sneezing too hard
- Bad posture
- Rigorous exercise
- Stress
Suggested read: The Pain In Your Shoulder’s Killing You? Here Are The Remedies You Need!
When you develop a stiff neck, you might find it difficult to move your head from one side to another completely. You might also have trouble sleeping and experience pain and cramps not only in your neck, but also in your shoulders, spine and lower back. If you want to avoid all these complicated problems and get rid of a stiff neck within a couple of hours, here are the best home remedies, which are super easy and super effective.
1. Essential oils
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The best and perhaps most effective home remedy for a stiff neck includes the use of essential oils, whose healing properties can loosen your muscles, release the tension in your neck and also increase the rate of blood circulation, all of which can get rid of your condition within a couple of hours at most.
The best way to use essential oils is to massage them onto your neck and shoulders. It is advised that you use oils like lavender, eucalyptus, juniper, rosemary and others, which are both fragrant and relaxing.
2. Light exercises
Neck exercises are one of the best ways in which you can get rid of a cricked neck. These are simple to do and they can be done immediately after you wake up, without even getting up from your bed, or in your office chair, or wherever you else you spend time and you feel a crick coming on.
Rotate your head in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions. You can also nod your head forwards and backwards and sideways and roll your shoulders, all of which constitute good exercises which get rid of your condition.
3. Apple cider vinegar
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If you have apple cider vinegar lying around in your house, then you can also make use of that in order to get rid of your stiff neck problem. It is effective, as it helps in getting rid of the stiffness in the muscles and in case you are experiencing cramps, then apple cider vinegar can also help you get rid of that problem.
Soak a piece of cloth in apple cider vinegar and place it on your neck for about half an hour and then remove it. Wash the area with warm water, and the pain will disappear immediately afterwards.
4. Heat pads
If you want to cure your condition within a matter of minutes, then you can use a heat pad, which can help you recover in no time. The heat that radiate from a heat pad allows your muscles to relax and release the tension from tour muscles, while simultaneously increasing blood flow to the area.
If you don’t have a heat pad nearby, you can also make use of a hot towel, which has the same effect.
Suggested read: 10 Effective Home Remedies That Cure Joint Pain In No Time
5. Peppermint oil
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Peppermint oil is an exceptionally useful essential oil when it comes to fixing problems like a stiff neck. It contains menthol and analgesic properties, which help in reducing the stiffness of the muscles and increases blood circulation in the area, all of which eases your discomfort an helps you heal in a couple of hours.
Massage a mixture of olive oil which has been warmed in the microwave, and peppermint oil onto your neck. Let the oil seep into your skin for half an hour after which you can wipe it off or wash it off, and feel no pain during or after the process.
6. Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper is considered one of the best natural pain killers because it has excellent anti-inflammatory properties, and can help stimulate your muscles, so that they start functioning properly again. When used properly, cayenne pepper can get rid of the pain in your neck within 20 minutes to half an hour.
Mix a tablespoon of cayenne pepper in warm olive oil and massage it onto your neck. Make sure you wear gloves so that no accidents occur. You might feel a slight burning sensation, but after you wash it off, you will not feel the crick in your neck anymore.
7. Turmeric
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Turmeric is an organic substance which has been used for ages and ages to cure all inflammations and abrasions on the body, because of its wonderful anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Turmeric can not only stimulate your muscles so that the pain dissipates, but also improve the flow of blood in that area, so that you don’t develop a stiff neck.
Make a paste with a few drops of water and turmeric powder and apply it to your shoulders and your neck. When you wash it off after half an hour, you are going to infinitely better. Turmeric paste is also great for the skin, so it’s a double bonus!
8. Acupuncture
If a cricked neck is something you suffer from on a regular basis, then you could try getting acupuncture therapy, which appeals to the core energy of your body, and heals the condition on a deep, biological level. It is a process in which thin needles are inserted into pressure points in your body to stimulate enzymes, hormones and blood circulation, to make your body perform better.
Do not try to practice acupuncture on your own. There are professionals who are trained to identify the pressure points in your body, which can help you get better on a more long-term basis.
9. Celery leaves
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If using celery as a home remedy for crick in your neck sounds odd, then there isn’t a reason to be surprised, because celery has natural properties which can help you recover in no time. It reduces inflammation, and along with that, celery leaves also have the same effect as a massage would, if you chose to go with the latter for your stiff neck problem.
The best way to use celery leaves is by extracting the juice and soaking cloth in it. Apply this wet cloth to your neck and watch your pain disappear in not time. You can also boil celery leaves and place the leave on your neck and shoulders, so that the good properties are absorbed by the body.
10. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an effective herbal remedy when you have a crick in the neck. The herbal properties of ashwagandha, which is a herb primarily found in the Indian subcontinent, can help you get relief from the pain, and also stimulate the muscles, so that your body is less susceptible to a stiff neck in the future.
Even though you can apply ashwagandha paste to your neck, the best way to make use of this herb is by consuming it in the form of capsules, which you can have two to three times a day, to heal your problem by the end of the day, and prevent it from recurring the next day.
Suggested read: 10 Exercises For Back Pain That Help Find Relief
11. Chamomile tea
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If you are looking for a simpler and more effective remedy for a crick in the neck, then I can suggest the use of chamomile tea, which is also a herbal remedy, much recommended by people who are prone to this problem. Chamomile has anti inflammatory properties which soothe your neck, and the compounds present in chamomile tea also releases enzymes which can massage your muscles and increase blood flow, thereby reducing the pain that inevitably comes with a cricked neck.
Soak a couple of chamomile tea bags in hot water, and remove them. After they have cooled, place them on your neck and let it sit for half an hour.
A crick in your neck is one of the most common problems that you have to deal with, which is why it is always handy to have this list on hand of the best and natural home remedies for stiff neck.
Let us know the creative and natural ways in which you deal with a crick in your neck, in the comments section below!
Featured image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
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