“Crick in the Neck” Explained and How to get Relief
How does a “crick in the neck” happen & what does it feel like?
Picture this… You are driving along I-89, enjoying the view of the Green Mountains. Coming up quickly on a car in front of you, you whip your head to the left to look over your shoulder to check for other cars before changing lanes, and boom: your neck locks up, immediately feeling tight and stiff, leaving you with a twinge of pain. You are experiencing what some people might describe as a “crick in the neck”.
There are lots of ways this can happen. Falling asleep on a road trip while on passenger duty with your neck hanging to the side, lifting a few too many grocery bags trying to make it all in one trip, letting your kid use your shoulders as a jungle gym, and the list goes on… We’ve heard it all here at Living Well!
But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of what is really happening in an anatomical sense, and why it might make sense to come to see us when you get a “crick in the neck.”
Getting Down to the Root Cause - The Facet Joint Capsule
The neck (AKA cervical spine) is made up of seven bones (AKA vertebrae). The vertebrae are connected by a variety of connective soft tissues, including intervertebral discs, ligaments, and muscles.
The vertebra themselves connect together forming joints called facet joints, surrounded by a thin, ligamentous covering called the joint capsule, which contains synovial fluid (the Gatorade of joints) that helps to reduce friction, provide nutrients and remove waste from the joint. The joint capsule has many jobs, but the most important related to this topic is its ability to detect stretch.
Role of the Joint Capsule: The Stretch Reflex
When we perform movements that stretch the joint capsule too quickly or in a direction it is not accustomed to, the receptors that detect stretch interpret it as an injury to the joint.
This triggers reflex-like lockdown of the surrounding muscles to protect the “injured” joint, which gives you that tight/stiff feeling, reduced range of motion, and unfortunately, pain.
This same process can happen in any region of the spine or extremities (Ex: when people say “I threw my back out” or “I tweaked my hip”) and can be associated with other injuries such as disc herniations/bulges, sprains/strains, whiplash and more.
How can I get relief for the “crick in my neck”?
At-home treatment may include stretching, using ice, and/or over-the-counter pain relievers. For faster, more prolonged relief, we recommend giving us a call!
Living Well chiropractors are equipped to help you overcome that tight, stiff feeling using spinal mobilization techniques that directly target the joint and its capsule to restore normal joint motion, and soft tissue therapies to relax the muscles, which both help reduce pain. In most cases like this, patients will experience rapid relief with a burst of frequent treatment. More stubborn cases can benefit from additional care provided by our physical therapists if needed. Continued care after the initial incident may also help prevent future cricks from happening in the first place, so you can get back to being the one-trip grocery bag hero.
For more information or questions about chiropractic care, check out our FAQs or call our office at 802-658-6092
Written by: Lauren Angello, DC, MS
Dr. Lauren Angello earned her Doctorate of Chiropractic and a Masters of Science in Functional Nutrition from Parker University in Dallas, TX, graduating within the top ten of her class. She pursued her undergraduate studies in Cellular & Molecular Biology through the Honors College Program at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC. Dr. Lauren is passionate about integrating chiropractic care with other healthcare disciplines to help her patients attain their health objectives.