Treatment for a stiiff (rye) neck

[mkh9]

I woke up with a rye or stiff neck. I don't have any other symptoms. I had my head crooked when I woke and it was
stiff. I have had these in the past. It has been three days and I tried heat and Ibuprofen. So far it hasn't gone down.
I want to get back to doing my exercises as soon as possible but is massage or stretching good for this? Any one out there tried that?
Thanks,
mkh9

[RubyWitch]

I have severe arthritis in virtually every joint in my body, but a night sleeping with my neck in a "bad" position can create so much pain, stress and tension, I want to scream or cry and sometimes did both! I wasn't into Yoga until a friend saw me wincing every time I moved my head. She taught me this Yoga pose for a badly stiff neck and shoulder tension (which go hand in hand and make each symptom worse as we try to lessen the pain, but instead, we increase it) I think this is why you've been "suffering" for three days! Heat, massage and Ibuprofen are OK if they work..........which in your case, they haven't. I have sent you a link to the Yoga pose my friend taught me. Even if you've never done Yoga before, like me, I think you will be amazed at how quickly this exercise will "fix" your problem. I did it 4X over a 12 hour period and my pain was completely gone. I now do Yoga daily and this exercise in particular to keep my neck and shoulder muscles "soft." (Void of tension) Watch the video at least once without doing the exercise to learn the technique, then try it. Go slow.......Yoga is about slowing down! This exercise should take you about 10 minutes once you've "mastered" it. Also, never "push" past the place where the pain is felt.........go to the pain and stop. If after a  couple of days, your neck is no better......or worse, see your doctor, especially if the pain worsens when you bend your chin to your chest.
I also found that eating several chocolate chip cookies right after this exercise seemed to help.
Give it a shot. What do you have to lose? I hope it helps!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MypjOs5ZC8c

[mkh9]

Rubywitch, thanks that is a good stretch. I will have to practice it. Yes Chocolate chip cookies are good anytime to lift your spirits,LOL.
mkh9

[RubyWitch]

I really hope you find relief with this. I don't want to sound like a "Yoga pusher", but once I decided to SERIOUSLY give it a try, I've been amazed at what it CAN do. I was ALWAYS running to the medicine cabinet for pills because that's how I grew up......pills fixed everything, right? I am NOT anti-medication nor do I believe Yoga can "cure" everything because it can't.........but I promise that if you practice Yoga daily, you will NOT believe how much better you feel both physically and mentally. Let me know if that exercise helped your neck! (And don't forget your cookies!)
Amazon has great beginner books for next to nothing and forget thinking you need expensive Yoga pants! I do MY Yoga in my underoos!
Let me know if you have any questions via PM.
RW