“What causes tight neck muscles?”
I am a 46 year old male. My neck muscles are tight. What could be the cause?
10 Answers
That is tough to answer in isolation without any historical context or a physical exam to provide clues as to the origin of your symptoms. Tightness is a generic symptom like headache that has many causes some of which are treatable by chiropractors and others not so much.
The muscles are controlled by the brain and your nervous system. If there’s stress or tension in your brain or nervous system, that could cause a tight muscles. So you could get tight muscles from poor posture overtime, emotional stress overtime, sleeping in the wrong position and so many other reasons.
In today's world, unfortunately, almost everything we do can cause tight neck muscles. Working on the computer daily, especially on a desk that is not fit exact to your needs, using a smartphone, watching tv from a couch that has not be measured to our particular height, etc. There are just some of the common things that can cause tight neck muscles. They can lead to chronic tightness, headaches/migraines, and altered posture to name a few.
History of traumas (accident, falls, playing sports) and or your daily poor posture when working, driving, standing, texting etc.
There are many causes of tight muscles in the neck. Physical stress on the neck such as being in one position for a long time for example texting or looking at your
computer. It could be from sleeping in an awkward position or with an uncomfortable pillow. Mental stress can cause tension in your neck as well. When you feel anxious or stressed the muscles in the neck will tighten and stiffen. Other causes of neck stiffness are TMJ conditions, trauma and sometimes side effects from certain medications.
Chiropractic is a great way to treat neck muscle tightness with spinal adjustment and other effective techniques.
computer. It could be from sleeping in an awkward position or with an uncomfortable pillow. Mental stress can cause tension in your neck as well. When you feel anxious or stressed the muscles in the neck will tighten and stiffen. Other causes of neck stiffness are TMJ conditions, trauma and sometimes side effects from certain medications.
Chiropractic is a great way to treat neck muscle tightness with spinal adjustment and other effective techniques.
Hello,
A tight neck can have many causes. It may be related to overuse from activity or from increased tone in the muscles from abnormal stress due to improper posture. Stress due to abnormal joint biomechanics or mental stress can cause the neck muscles including the trapezius to become tighter than normal. Misalignment of the neck or upper back vertebrae can also cause reflexive tightening of the associated neck muscles. Try stretching and moist heat to relax the muscles. If this is not effective, see a chiropractic physician to get an examination to determine the actual cause and treat appropriately.
I hope this information helps.
Take care and be well,
Dr. Eric Miller
A tight neck can have many causes. It may be related to overuse from activity or from increased tone in the muscles from abnormal stress due to improper posture. Stress due to abnormal joint biomechanics or mental stress can cause the neck muscles including the trapezius to become tighter than normal. Misalignment of the neck or upper back vertebrae can also cause reflexive tightening of the associated neck muscles. Try stretching and moist heat to relax the muscles. If this is not effective, see a chiropractic physician to get an examination to determine the actual cause and treat appropriately.
I hope this information helps.
Take care and be well,
Dr. Eric Miller
Could be stress or occupational positions, trauma, perhaps.
There could be several reasons, which often can be determined will examination and evaluation. The most common reason for tight neck muscles is tension and stress. Chiropractic adjustments will reset your nervous system to relax muscles and release stress.
This is usually caused from joints of the neck being out of position or from postural issues. Chiropractic can address and fix both of these.
It could be several things such as stress, forward head posture from looking down at a cell phone or having a desk job, or the spine undergoing degenerative changes, so the muscles are r=trying to protect it.
