- 1. Put a hot compress on the neck
- 2. Get a neck massage
- 3. Stretch the neck muscles
- 4. Take a muscle relaxant
Putting a hot compress on the neck, giving a massage, stretching the muscles and taking a muscle relaxant are 4 different ways to treat a stiff neck at home. These four treatments complement each other and help to cure torticollis faster and can be useful to relieve pain and discomfort.
Torticollis is due to a muscle spasm that makes it impossible for the person to turn their neck from side to side. It looks like the neck gets stuck and the pain will never go away, but following these 4 steps is a great home treatment:
1. Put a hot compress on the neck
A good home remedy for stiff neck is to apply a warm compress to the neck, letting it act for a few minutes. The heat will decrease pain and muscle spasm, increasing blood circulation in the region, facilitating the healing of torticollis. For the compress:
Ingredients
- 2 cups of raw rice1 small pillowcase
Method of preparation
Place the rice grains in the pillowcase and tie, making a bundle. Microwave at medium power for about 3 minutes to warm. Then apply this warm bundle to your neck and let it act for at least 20 minutes.
2. Get a neck massage
When removing the warm bundle, put a little moisturizer on your hands and give a small massage to the sore area of the neck, pressing the area with the tips of your fingers. If possible, ask someone else to massage you. Creams or even arnica ointment can also be used to speed recovery. Here's how to make a great arnica ointment at home.
3. Stretch the neck muscles
Rotating the head to one side and the other and bringing the chin to the shoulder, but always respecting the pain limit, but if the stiff neck persists for more than 5 days, a consultation with a physical therapist may be useful. This video has some stretching exercises that can be indicated, but you should always respect the pain limit and not force your neck to not aggravate the pain and discomfort:
4. Take a muscle relaxant
Taking a muscle relaxant remedy, such as Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride or Baclofen, is also a good way to fight pain and muscle spasms, curing stiff neck faster.
This type of medicine can be purchased at the pharmacy without a prescription, but ideally it should be used with the advice of a health professional like the pharmacist because it has side effects and contraindications that must be respected.
See other remedies that can be used to treat stiff neck.
