Si alguna vez has girado la cabeza y has oído un chasquido, crujido o estallido procedente del cuello, has experimentado lo que se conoce como crepitación cervical. El crepitar del cuello es simplemente el término médico utilizado para los sonidos que hacen las articulaciones del cuello cuando te mueves. A muchas personas estos sonidos les resultan inquietantes, pero el crepitar del cuello no es motivo de preocupación. El crepitus es un fenómeno común que se produce en las articulaciones de todo el cuerpo. 

Tanto si te preocupa la artritis cervical, el dolor de cuello o cualquier otra cosa, debes saber esto: El crepitus en sí mismo no es motivo de preocupación. No hay pruebas que sugieran que los crujidos ocasionales o regulares de tu cuello sean signos de un problema, ni quecausen problemas de cuello. 

El crepitus cervical es frecuente y normalmente inofensivo, y hay medidas que puedes tomar para mantener el cuello fuerte y sano. 

Sigue leyendo para saber más sobre el crepitus cervical: qué es, qué lo provoca y cómo mantener las articulaciones del cuello fuertes y resistentes al dolor y un poco menos ruidosas con consejos y ejercicios de nuestros fisioterapeutas de Hinge Health.

¿Por qué me cruje tanto el cuello? 3 causas del crépito cervical

Es habitual suponer que el crepitar indica un problema grave en el cuello, pero lo más frecuente es que pueda explicarse por cualquiera de las siguientes causas (o una combinación de ellas): 

• Escape de aire de la superficie de la junta. Ésta es probablemente la razón más común, dice Lori Walter, PT, DPT, fisioterapeuta de Hinge Health. Tu cuello está formado por siete huesos. Las articulaciones se forman donde se juntan dos huesos y a menudo el aire queda retenido dentro de ellas. Estirar, girar, torcer o simplemente mover el cuello (como hacemos todos cientos de veces al día) puede hacer que el aire salga de la cápsula articular y producir un chasquido. Esto puede ocurrir en cualquier articulación del cuerpo, tanto si te crujes los nudillos intencionadamente como si te ocurre espontáneamente, como con los movimientos de rodilla. 

• Moviendo tendones y ligamentos. Cada articulación tiene ligamentos y tendones que la rodean, y a veces este tejido conjuntivo se "engancha" en los huesos durante el movimiento y crea un chasquido. Piénsalo como si tiraras de una goma elástica y la movieras con el dedo. El sonido sólo refleja movimiento, pero no es nada peligroso. 

• Ciertas afecciones, como la artritis. Nuestro cuerpo cambia con la edad. Algunas personas desarrollan canas en la cabeza o arrugas en la piel. Otros experimentan cambios más internos, como en los tejidos blandos o el cartílago. Muchos de estos cambios son muy normales, y no siempre provocan síntomas perceptibles. Pero en algunas personas, la pérdida de cartílago hace que las superficies de los huesos se vuelvan menos lisas, lo que puede provocar un sonido de rechinamiento con determinados movimientos. 

Should You Worry About Neck Cracking?

“It’s important for people to know that crepitus itself is nothing to worry about,” says Dr. Walter. Some people might experience neck crepitus a few times a month, whereas others might experience it every day with neck movement. 

“Neck cracking can definitely be disconcerting for a lot of people, especially when they don’t know why it’s happening. The issue at the neck level is that there’s a lot of mobility, especially when you compare it to a hinge joint like the knee,” notes Dr. Walter. “There are seven vertebrae (bones) in there, which essentially means there’s more opportunity for cracking.” But hearing cracking, popping, or grinding sounds in and of itself does not mean there’s a problem, and on its own is nothing to be concerned about medically, she stresses. 

“If you’re highly concerned about your crepitus, and it’s causing you a lot of stress, it’s okay to get checked out for the sake of feeling more confident in your ability to move,” says Dr. Walter. A physical therapist (PT) can show you stretches you can do to improve joint mobility and possibly improve your crepitus. You can see a physical therapist in person or use a program like Hinge Health to access a PT via telehealth/video visit. 

Although neck crepitus itself is common and harmless, when other symptoms accompany it, it’s advisable to visit a doctor. Consult your healthcare provider if your neck crepitus is accompanied by any of the following:

• Numbness

• Lightheadedness

• Significant neck pain

• Significant decrease in mobility, including walking, writing, or completing daily tasks

• Pain that radiates down your arm

• Sensory changes

Neck Crepitus Treatment: What To Do If It Bothers Me?

Most people with neck crepitus don’t experience any pain or discomfort, but they associate the noises with something bad or dangerous. As a result, they may modify their behaviors and limit neck movements, assuming cracking and grinding sounds means something is wrong with their neck and that too much movement or activity will make their symptoms worse. Nothing could be further from the truth. Keeping your neck flexible and strong are the best things you can do to keep your neck muscles healthy. 

If you do have any pain or discomfort with neck crepitus, or are simply irritated by it, there are still things that you can do to work on keeping your neck strong, healthy, and injury-free (although they might not help with or prevent the cracking sounds directly):  

• Exercise therapy. Because the neck is so mobile, it’s important to have stability in and around the area so it has proper support. Exercises that strengthen the deep neck muscles as well as the shoulders can give your neck joints the support they need. “A lot of people are surprised by this, but working on your shoulder strength can help your neck because many muscles cross both your shoulder and neck joints,” says Dr. Walter. 

• Use heat. Applying heat, such as a hot pack or a moist, warm towel, to your neck can help relieve tension and discomfort for some people. 

• Alternative therapies such as acupuncture and massage. “The muscles around the neck can become tense or stiff, which can contribute to pain and crepitus,” says Dr. Walter. Treatments like acupuncture or massage may help loosen those muscles and create more space at the joints, which may help with symptoms.

• Consider your sleep position. How you sleep can play a role in how your neck feels and functions the next day. So if you find your sleep position doesn’t offer your neck the right amount of support, it might factor into neck pain or stiffness. Research shows that sleeping on your back or side might be worth trying if you are experiencing neck pain and stiffness at the moment. (Just remember, the best sleeping position for you is the one that’s most comfortable.) You can also try a new pillow that offers the right amount of support for you.

• Change up your workstation. Just like your sleeping position, sitting or working in a certain position all day will not cause crepitus. But if you are experiencing neck pain and stiffness, staying in the same position for long periods of time can contribute to symptoms (commonly referred to as “tech neck”). Try to change positions throughout the day, whether that’s propping your laptop on a file cabinet and standing for a bit, getting up to stretch or walk, or switching your sitting position (e.g., changing from crossing your legs to uncrossing them). 

• Take deep breaths. For most people, neck pain, stiffness, and crepitus are temporary. Maybe you slept in an odd position or had a particularly stressful week at work, which contributed to muscle tension and now your neck is making weird noises, says Dr. Walter. This is where stress can be an issue. “It makes our muscles tight. Even muscle tension in your jaw can contribute to tension through the whole head and neck,” she adds. Of course, managing your stress is much easier said than done. But many simple and quick techniques such as deep or diaphragmatic breathing can effectively reduce tension in your neck, according to a 2022 review published in the journal Diagnostics.