Bogota Chiropractic and Holistic Center

71 E. Main Street

Bogota, NJ 07603 US

(201) 488-1888

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • New Patient Center
    • Online Forms
    • What to Expect
      • Your First Visit
      • Phase 1: Relief Care
      • Phase 2: Corrective Care
      • Phase 3: Wellness Care
    • Payment Options
  • About Us
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us
  • Services & Techniques
  • Helpful Links
  • GAPS™ CERTIFIED PRACTITIONER
  • Dr. Amoruso’s Health Talk Library
  • DOWNLOAD DR. AMORUSO’S 2023 PANTRY LIST
  • US Wellness
  • Community Content
    • About Chiropractic Care
      • What is Chiropractic
      • How Does it Work
      • Who is Chiropractic For
      • Vertebral Subluxation
      • Wellness Resources
    • Common Conditions Treated
      • Auto Accident Injuries
      • Back and Shoulder Pain
      • Body Pain
      • Chronic Condition Relief
        • Conditions Affecting Women
        • Headaches
      • Herniated Discs
      • Improved Health
      • Pediatric Ailments
      • Repetitive Use Injuries
      • Respiratory Function
    • Health & Wellness
      • Healthy Thinking
        • Get Positive
        • Relaxation Techniques
      • Life in Motion
      • Wellness Lifestyle Tips
        • Treat Yourself Well
        • Treat Others Well
        • Eat Well
      • Wellness Essentials
        • At Home
        • At Work
        • Exercise
        • Nutrition
        • What You Wear
      • Wellness Perspectives
        • Mental
        • Spiritual
        • Social
        • Physical
    • Therapies & Techniques
      • Techniques
      • Therapies
    • Newsletter Library
      • Back, Body & Joint Pain
      • Healthy Tips
      • Exercise & Fitness
      • Injury Rehab & Prevention
      • Kid's Health
      • Illness Prevention
      • Chronic Conditions
      • Nutrition & Healthy Eating
      • Breaking Bad Habits
      • Senior Health
      • Weight Loss
      • Pregnancy & Parenting
      • Wellness
      • Mind-Body Connection
      • Stress & Anxiety
      • Life-Work Balance
      • Staying Young
      • Staying Motivated
    • Wellness4Kids
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletter Library >
  • What Are Neck Spasms and Why Do They Occur?

What Are Neck Spasms and Why Do They Occur?

  • Created in Newsletter Library

Man having neck spasm

What You Need to Know About Neck Spasms

When a neck spasm hits, even the slightest movement can cause intense pain. Although the spasms are usually short-lived, they can become a chronic problem in some cases. If you suffer from frequent neck spasms, understanding the cause can help you avoid future bouts of pain.

Why Neck Spasms Happen

Have you ever turned your head quickly and felt a tight, painful sensation in your neck? The pain occurs when the muscles in your neck spasm or tighten unexpectedly. Spasms can last several minutes or linger for days or weeks. Chronic or frequent spasms can cause pain and headaches that interfere with your usual activities. Even if the spasm goes away quickly, you may still experience pain due to sore muscles.

Neck pain and spasms are common problems for many of us. In fact, 20 to 70 percent of Americans will experience neck pain that interferes with their usual activities at some point in their lives, according to Practical Pain Management.

Neck Spasms can be caused by:

  • Poor Posture. Slouching strains your neck, shoulders, and upper back muscles, increasing your risk of spasms. In addition to spasms, you may also develop headaches due to poor posture.
  • Using Digital Devices. Looking downward to use smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices can cause a condition called tech neck. Holding your head in a downward position stresses the muscles in your neck, triggering spasms. Eventually, tech neck can cause spinal misalignments, early-onset arthritis, and muscle or nerve damage.
  • Holding Your Head in an Uncomfortable Position. Spasms can be a problem if you're a mechanic, plumber, or work in another type of job that requires you to twist or turn your head.
  • Stress. Stress can tighten the neck, shoulder, and upper back muscles, causing spasms.
  • Your Sleep Habits. Sleeping on a pillow or mattress that doesn't adequately support your body may mean that you wake up with an aching neck.
  • Sprain or Strain. An injury to the muscles or ligaments in your neck could also be to blame for your spasms.

What You Can Do About Neck Spasms

Do you reach for a bottle of ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) when you have neck spasms? Although many people believe taking an NSAID can be useful in treating your symptoms, long-term or frequent use of NSAIDs can cause upset stomachs, ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, or even liver damage in some cases. Luckily, trying a few of these recommendations will help relax your muscles and ease your pain naturally:

  • Ice and Heat. Ice packs reduce inflammation and relieve pain. (Don't use ice packs for more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time, as frostbite could occur.) A heating pad, hot water bottle, or a stream of hot water from a showerhead will help loosen and relax tight muscles.
  • Massage. Do-it-yourself or professional massages relax tight muscles and prompt your body to produce endorphins, chemicals that act like natural painkillers.
  • Stretches. Slowly dropping your head toward your shoulder and other gentle neck exercises may help stretch the muscles and put an end to the spasm.

If you still have spasms, it's a good idea to call the chiropractor. Your chiropractor will develop a treatment plan based on your symptoms and your physical exam. The plan may include:

  • Spinal manipulation. This hands-on therapy realigns the vertebrae in your neck and decreases muscle tension.
  • Massage. In addition to loosening muscles, massage also improves circulation, which can speed healing.
  • Trigger Point Therapy. Trigger point therapy relaxes muscle fibers that cause knots in your neck and may reduce your spasms.
  • Ultrasound Therapy. Ultrasound waves relax and warm muscles, relieving pain.
  • Soft Tissue Manipulation. Your chiropractor uses handheld tools to find the source of your pain and loosen tight tissues.
  • Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS). A gentle electrical current prevents pain signals from reaching the brain.
  • Traction. This treatment relieves pain and loosens muscles by gently increasing the space between your vertebrae
  • Exercises. Your chiropractor can teach you exercises that improve your posture and strengthen the muscles that support your neck and core.

Could a visit to the chiropractor ease your neck spasms? Get in touch with us if you're ready to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

Practical Pain Management: About Back/Neck, Spine and Shoulder Pain - The Statistics, 7/29/19

SPINE-Health: How to Relieve a Neck Muscle Spasm, 11/19/19

MedlinePlus: Neck Pain or Spasms – Self-Care, 7/11/19

Spine Universe: Chiropractic Care for Neck Pain

  • About Chiropractic Care
    • What is Chiropractic
    • How Does it Work
    • Who is Chiropractic For
    • Vertebral Subluxation
    • Wellness Resources
  • Common Conditions Treated
    • Auto Accident Injuries
    • Back and Shoulder Pain
    • Body Pain
    • Chronic Condition Relief
      • Conditions Affecting Women
      • Headaches
    • Herniated Discs
    • Improved Health
    • Pediatric Ailments
    • Repetitive Use Injuries
    • Respiratory Function
  • Health & Wellness
    • Healthy Thinking
      • Get Positive
      • Relaxation Techniques
    • Life in Motion
    • Wellness Lifestyle Tips
      • Treat Yourself Well
      • Treat Others Well
      • Eat Well
    • Wellness Essentials
      • At Home
      • At Work
      • Exercise
      • Nutrition
      • What You Wear
    • Wellness Perspectives
      • Mental
      • Spiritual
      • Social
      • Physical
  • Therapies & Techniques
    • Techniques
    • Therapies
  • Newsletter Library
    • Back, Body & Joint Pain
    • Healthy Tips
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Injury Rehab & Prevention
    • Kid's Health
    • Illness Prevention
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Nutrition & Healthy Eating
    • Breaking Bad Habits
    • Senior Health
    • Weight Loss
    • Pregnancy & Parenting
    • Wellness
    • Mind-Body Connection
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Life-Work Balance
    • Staying Young
    • Staying Motivated
  • Wellness4Kids

CONTACT US TODAY

We look forward to hearing from you

Featured Services

  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.
  • Make an Appointment

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.
  • Online Forms

    Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home or office.

Office Hours

Monday:

Closed

Closed

Tuesday:

7:00 AM - 12:00 PM

2:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Wednesday:

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

2:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Thursday:

7:00 AM - 12:00 PM

2:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Friday:

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

2:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Saturday:

7:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Closed

Location

Find us on the map

Testimonial

  • "1st time visit to a chiropractor and what an amazing experience. Dr Amoruso was beyond professional, extremely accommodating and was able to offer immediate treatment for my back issue. Thank you!!!"
    Chris O. / Bogota, NJ

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

  • October Newsletter: Can Chiropractic Care Help with Digestive Disorders?

    Could chiropractic care offer the solution to your digestive problems? ...

    Read More
  • October Newsletter: Chiropractic Care to Improve Workplace Ergonomics

    Could chiropractic care and ergonomics be the keys to easing your work-related aches and pains? ...

    Read More
  • September Newsletter: Chiropractic Care for Tendinitis

    Not sure what to do about tendinitis pain? Call your chiropractor! ...

    Read More
  • September Newsletter: How Your Chiropractor Can Help with Chronic Pain

    Tired of living with chronic pain? Find out if chiropractic car can help. ...

    Read More
  • August Newsletter: Text Neck Syndrome: How Your Chiropractor Can Help

    Does your neck hurt when you use your cellphone? You could have text neck, one of the many conditions chiropractors treat. ...

    Read More
  • August Newsletter: Chiropractic Care for Autoimmune Diseases

    Having trouble coping with autoimmune disease symptoms? Give your chiropractor a call. ...

    Read More
  • July Newsletter: How Your Chiropractor Can Help Relieve Migraines

    Wondering if chiropractic treatment could ease your migraine pain? ...

    Read More
  • July Newsletter: How Chiropractic Care Can Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    Could a visit to the chiropractor relieve your painful carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms? ...

    Read More
  • June Newsletter: Chiropractic Care for Whiplash

    Suffering from whiplash? Chiropractic care could ease your neck pain. ...

    Read More
  • June Newsletter: How Your Chiropractor Can Help with Knee Pain

    Have you considered chiropractic care for your knee pain? ...

    Read More

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Sign up for more articles

Follow Us

  • Copyright © 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • Site Map