Todos lo hemos experimentado alguna vez: un dolor repentino y agudo en el cuello que hace que los movimientos sencillos parezcan una tarea desalentadora. Ya sea por dormir con una almohada nueva, pintar el techo o inclinarte sobre un portátil durante horas y horas, un calambre en el cuello puede interrumpir tus actividades diarias y dejarte buscando alivio. 

Esto suele producirse al forzar los músculos del cuello y los que lo sostienen, como los de los hombros y la parte superior de la espalda, dice Cody Anderson, PT, DPT, fisioterapeuta de Hinge Health. Esto suele ocurrir por cosas como dormir en una postura incómoda o hacer un movimiento brusco que tensione los músculos del cuello. Con menos frecuencia, el dolor en el cuello también puede indicar una articulación irritada. 

Un retortijón en el cuello, aunque molesto, suele ser temporal y puede tratarse en Inicio. En este recurso, explicaremos qué causa la tortícolis y cómo aliviarla, incluidos estiramientos eficaces del cuello y ejercicios de fortalecimiento ofrecidos por nuestros fisioterapeutas.  

¿Qué es una tortícolis?

Un tirón en el cuello se refiere a un dolor o rigidez repentinos y agudos en el cuello, a menudo como consecuencia de una distensión o tensión muscular. Puede dificultar el movimiento cómodo del cuello, y las molestias pueden ir acompañadas de una rango de movimiento limitada. Aunque un tirón en el cuello no suele ser grave, puede ser incómodo. ¿La buena noticia? Hay muchas cosas que puedes hacer para mejorar tus síntomas y obtener alivio. 

Symptoms of a Crick in the Neck

Some people describe a crick in the neck as a painful, tight feeling. Others say it's difficult to turn, move, or even hold up their head. While symptoms of a crick in the neck can vary slightly, they often include:

• Neck pain. This can be sharp or dull pain, and it may be localized to a specific area or radiate to other parts of the neck.

• Stiffness. 

• Limited range of motion, or a reduced ability to turn your head or tilt it in certain directions.

• Muscle knots or tenderness. 

• Headaches. 

• Shoulder pain in some cases.

What Causes a Crick in the Neck?

Many different factors can contribute to a crick in the neck, including: 

• Muscle strain. A crick in the neck is most often related to muscles that are overworked from holding a particular position for too long. Typical examples: hunching over a computer all day, being in the car too long, or doing work that forces you to look up and use your arms, like painting a ceiling, cleaning a gutter, or trimming trees. "You're holding the neck at the end of its range of motion for a long period," says Dr. Anderson. It's not that any of these activities are bad. It's just that holding the same position for too long tightens muscles. 

• Neck sprain. Sprains occur when ligaments — tough, fibrous tissues that connect bones to each other — are stretched or torn. Ligaments provide stability to joints. When a neck sprain occurs, it can lead to pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion in the neck. Injuries related to a fall or whiplash are common causes of neck sprain. 

• Changes in the spine. Your entire spine consists of vertically stacked bones (called vertebrae), with strong and fibrous intervertebral discs between each to provide cushioning. As you age, it is common for these structures to slowly change. In many cases, these changes cause no symptoms. Sometimes, though, they contribute to things like osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, or a herniated disc, which, when combined with other factors, can contribute to a crick in the neck.

Crick in the Neck: A Hinge Health Perspective

A crick in the neck is not an official medical diagnosis. But there are many neck conditions that can contribute to a crick in the neck. Whether you have a diagnosis for ongoing neck pain or you've had a crick in the neck for 24 hours, it's common to assume that rest is best. This is not the case, however. 

Although movement can cause a slight and temporary uptick in pain, it's actually one of the best things you can do for neck pain. "We now know that things can actually become worse with too much rest," says Dylan Peterson, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. "Not moving is riskier than moving in spite of some pain." As our Hinge Health care team says, movement is medicine.

How to Treat a Crick in the Neck

You're probably wondering, how do I get rid of a crick in my neck? "Sometimes, all you need is a heating pad and some stretching to get over a crick in the neck," says Dr. Anderson. Other times, you may benefit from physical therapy or targeted exercises. Everyone is different, but here are some common ways to treat a crick in the neck.  

• Use a heating pad. "We're trying to loosen up or relax stiff muscles or joints, and the heating pad is really helpful for that," says Dr. Anderson. Use a heat pad for up to 20 minutes at a time, and "check your skin after the first two minutes to make sure the heat is not too much," he adds.

• Stretch tight muscles. "Your body tightens muscles because it thinks it needs to protect a specific area,” says Dr. Anderson. "By stretching, you’re telling your body, 'I don't want this muscle to be tight anymore. It’s okay to move this.'" See below for some good exercises.

• Do physical therapy. PT can be a very effective treatment for all kinds of neck pain, including a stubborn crick in the neck. A physical therapist will design exercises targeted to your specific issues, strengthening and stretching key areas, says Dr. Anderson. "For example, if the postural muscles in your upper back are tight or weak, we'd start by building those up so you have a better base of support for your neck." You can see a physical therapist in person or use a program like Hinge Health to access a PT via telehealth/video visit.

• Get a massage. Research shows that massage therapy can provide immediate relief for neck and shoulder pain by increasing blood flow, loosening connective tissues, and improving muscle flexibility. This can provide the relief you need to comfortably stretch and strengthen the muscles in and around your neck. 

• Strengthen your neck. People tend to stretch and forget about strengthening, says Dr. Anderson. "We think of the neck as this fragile thing that doesn't need to be stronger, but exercise can strengthen your neck and make it less susceptible to things like pain." 

• Use over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be helpful for neck pain. It's important to make sure that you are safely able to take these medications, based on your medical history.

• Modify your activities. Although gentle movement is one of the most important tools for relieving pain from a crick in the neck, you may want to adjust some of your usual activities — especially higher intensity ones — for a couple of days to give overworked muscles a break. Healing happens mostly from moving — not resting — but it's okay to scale back temporarily.