Wake Up with Neck Pain? Explore Causes and Effective Treatments for Prevention

Many people experience neck pain after waking up. Starting the day with pain can quickly ruin the mood and make you feel bad for the entire day. You may need assistance from a specialist to get the best neck pain treatment before it becomes unbearable.

Let us understand the reason behind the sore neck when you wake up and non-surgical neck pain treatment options to help ease the pain.

The Cause Of The Morning Sore Neck

1.   Sleeping Position

Everyone has a comfortable sleeping position. But if you sleep on your stomach, you are not doing justice to your neck. When you sleep on your stomach, your neck twists to either side for hours. This puts strain on the neck muscles, resulting in soreness and stiffness in the morning. It is also not good for the back. Sleeping on the stomach puts stress and pressure on the spine and the back muscles, resulting in pain.

2.   Pillow

Another reason for neck pain when you wake up is your uncomfortable pillow. Avoid the pillow that doesn’t support your head or neck, as you spend hours resting your head and neck on it, and the one that creates tension in the muscles may cause pain and discomfort.

3.   Unexpected Movement

Sudden movements, like quickly tossing or turning the neck in dreams, may strain the neck muscles. Sometimes, while trying to sleep, we also turn and toss our necks, which may create tension and stress in the neck, resulting in discomfort and pain when we wake up.

4.   Past Injury

Injuries caused while playing any sport may not always hurt at first but are felt days later.  With such injuries to your neck, you may feel good when you go to sleep but experience pain and stiffness when you wake up in the morning.

5.   Other Causes

Other causes that contribute to morning neck pain are:

• bad posture in the daytime.
• working for a prolonged period on your computer or laptop or watching TV for a long time without changing the position.
• Osteoarthritis
• A herniated disc-related compression of the nerves.

Home Remedies For Neck Pain

If you experience mild neck discomfort upon waking without additional symptoms, consider these home remedies to alleviate the pain and discomfort.

• Take an ice or cold pack and apply it to the affected area of the neck for around 20 minutes. Cold therapy helps reduce the inflammation in the neck muscles.
• If the neck pain continues for another day, apply a heat pack to the affected area for 20 minutes. It soothes and relaxes the neck muscles, alleviating pain and discomfort.
• You can try over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen, to get relief from pain.
• Include exercise and yoga in your routine to avoid stiffening your neck muscles.

In conclusion, neck pain can be avoided by practicing self-care and making small changes to the lifestyle. If the pain persists for a few weeks, book an appointment with your nearest spine specialists from renowned healthcare centers, including ANSSI Wellness, and get customized non-surgical treatment for a healthy and pain-free life.