There’s a reason why we call something (or someone) that is difficult or annoying a “pain in the neck,” but when it comes to less idiomatic neck pains, they are more than just a little difficult—they can be debilitating. Today, we’re talking about neck pain and sprains.
Can neck pain be treated without surgery? Click here to read our guide.
Neck sprains are often confused for neck strains, but they are a bit different. Strains are often caused by poor posture (“text neck” is an example), lifting something that’s too heavy, or repetitive motions. A neck sprain occurs when a ligament or muscle in the neck is overly stretched. This injury may occur without any obvious reason, but a sudden impact causing the neck to extend beyond its normal range and then snap back is usually the cause. You may not experience the symptoms immediately: they usually take a day or two to present themselves.
A neck injury is likely to cause stiffness that makes moving the neck painful. This may also cause the back of the head, shoulders, and upper back to hurt. You may also experience dizziness, fatigue, ringing in the ears, and occasional numbness in the hands and arms. Other symptoms include muscle spasms, tingling or weakness in the arms, and increased irritability. If you’re suffering from chronic, severe pain—especially accompanied by pain radiating down your legs and arms, you should immediately seek medical attention.
Let’s talk about treatment. As with all sprains, the body will heal eventually, but the neck could take 4-6 weeks (longer for more severe injuries) to heal, which sounds like a miserable existence in the interim. Aside from seeing a doctor (which you definitely should do), there are things you can do to manage your pain. You can apply ice for 15-30 minutes every 3-4 hours to reduce inflammation and apply moist heat to loosen cramped muscles. Under the recommendation of your doctor, you can also get the tender area massaged, seek ultrasound therapy, and perform light exercise. 
Neck pain is often attributed to “sleeping wrong,” so how can you sleep “right?”
Neck pain is sometimes attributed to “sleeping wrong,” or poor sleeping posture. If you haven’t experienced a neck overextension in the past few days, you probably don’t have a sprain, so your sleep posture may be at the heart of the problem. Experts recommend sleeping on your back or on your side (specifically your left side) and using a pillow that properly supports your head and neck. For back sleepers, try a feather pillow or a memory foam pillow that conforms to the curve of your head and neck. If you are a side sleeper, choose a pillow that is higher under the neck than the head to help your spinal alignment. No matter how you sleep, avoid pillows that are too high or too stiff as they can cause the neck muscles to flex for hours on end causing pain and stiffness in the morning.
