Neck Spasms

Content:
Symptoms
Common causes of neck spasms
Treatment and remedies
Other treatments for neck spasms
Preventing neck spasms in the future
Diagnosis
When to see a doctor
Finding relief from neck spasms

You feel a sudden, sharp pain deep in the muscles of your neck. You wince and reach for your neck. It feels hard and tight in one area. It’s painful to move your neck. You feel slightly dizzy. And you can feel a headache coming on. If any of this sounds familiar, you could be suffering from neck spasms.

A spasm is an involuntary contraction of a muscle in your body. It can happen in any of your muscles.¹ When a spasm is triggered, the muscles forcibly tighten and cannot relax. Spasms in the neck are quite common.

When you’re experiencing a neck spasm, the muscles in your neck contract. In other words, they become shorter, tighter, and harder. This can cause intense pain.² The pain can last from a few minutes to a few hours, sometimes even days. The good news is that you don’t have to live with neck spasms. There are ways to get pain relief. Exercise and home remedies can usually treat neck spasms quite effectively.