What to do if you blew your neck

What do you mean "blew your neck"

This refers to neck pain that occurs in Neck pain: Overview under the influence of cold air or a draft. Most often this is one of the manifestations of myositis - the pain of Myositis in the muscles caused by their inflammation.

Why muscles get inflamed from the cold

There are several reasons. The simplest is the increased load.

Neck Pain and Shoulder Stiffness in Cold Weather causes muscles to lose more heat and stiffen and spasm. As a result, the usual physical activity, which is given without problems in milder weather, requires much more muscular effort when the temperature drops. This increases the risk of muscle damage.

The connection is simple. You turned your head too sharply - micro tears appeared in the stiff muscles of the neck - you felt pain. If there are many micro-breaks, this can lead to inflammation and swelling. That, in turn, will begin to press on the nerve fibers located next to the muscles. This will make the pain even more noticeable.

The second common cause is infections. Common cold or flu viruses can also cause Is It Normal to Feel Neck Pain With a Cold? muscle inflammation. In addition, the infection often leads to painful enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck. All this leads to a sensation of pain when trying to turn or tilt the head.

When to urgently seek help

Neck pain is rare Neck pain: Overview is dangerous and in most cases goes away on its own after a few days. Sometimes, however, discomfort can signal conditions that threaten health and even life. Here are their signs:

Neck pain occurred after a violent fall or accident. This may indicate serious damage to the spine.
The neck has become stiff: you can neither tilt your head nor tilt it back. This condition is a characteristic symptom of meningitis.
In addition to pain, you have nausea, vomiting, dizziness, eyes hurt from the light.
The pain remains the same whether you move your head or not.
You don't feel like it's time to go to the toilet, so emptying of your bladder or bowels happens unexpectedly.
You feel severe weakness in your legs.
There is a constant tingling sensation in your fingers, or you find it difficult to move your hands.
The pain continues for several weeks, and against its background, you notice an unreasonable weight loss.
The enlarged lymph nodes do not shrink for several weeks or more.
Stiffness in neck movements is accompanied by a fever - a temperature of more than 38 ° C.

If you have at least one of these symptoms, be sure to see a therapist as soon as possible. Or even, depending on how you feel, call an ambulance.

What to do if you blew your neck

In general, nothing. It may be unpleasant or painful for you to turn your head, but unless you have the warning signs listed above, you do not need to restrict your activity Neck pain: Overview. On the contrary: the more you move, the faster the muscles will return to normal.

If the pain is causing you significant discomfort, here are some ways to Is It Normal to Feel Neck Pain With a Cold? relieve the condition.

1. Make a warm or cold compress

Heat helps to relax tense muscles, while cold reduces inflammation and swelling. There are no clear recommendations on which type of compresses is more effective, so you have to experiment.

When choosing a heating pad with hot water or an ice pack, follow these safety rules:

Do not apply the compress directly to bare skin. Always use a thin (preferably linen) fabric pad.
Do not leave the ice pack on your skin for more than 20 minutes.
Do not fall asleep with a cold or hot compress.
Remove the compress immediately if you feel uncomfortable or discolored.

2. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever

For example, based on paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Just be sure to consult with a therapist if neck pain has arisen against the background of ARVI and you are already taking any medications. Some of them may contain the same pain relievers, so there is a risk of overdose.

3. Use over-the-counter ointments for muscle pain

Such products may contain menthol, salicylates, or hot capsaicin. Before applying the ointment to the skin of the neck, test it on a small area of the arm to check if you have any allergies.

Never apply ointment under a cold or warm compress. And immediately remove it from the skin, as indicated in the instructions for the drug, if there is a strong burning sensation, itching, redness.