Pain in the Right Side of the Neck: Causes and Treatment

You spend a large part of the day in front of the computer and, little by little, your posture is giving way until the shoulders are above the neck. Suddenly you feel a stiff neck and nape and it starts to hurt. It is a matter of minutes before you begin to notice symptoms of muscle pain or spasm. Has this ever happened to you?

The causes of neck pain are closely linked to stressful situations, physical exertion or poor posture when sleeping or staying inert. However, there are also indications of more complex diseases whose symptom can be precisely this pain: meningitis, tonsillitis, deviations in the spine, herniated discs, cervical inflation, etc.

Neck pain usually goes away within a week with the help of pain relievers and anti-inflammatory ointments, but when the pain increases after 7 days or is maintained, it is important to go to the doctor for a more in-depth diagnosis.

The most common reason why the right side of the neck hurts is called stiff neck and many of us have suffered at some point in our lives. It is the stiffness of the neck on one side that immobilizes its functions and causes discomfort when trying to move the neck. Between the most common causes of this pain we find the following:

1. Muscle pain: It occurs when neck and shoulder muscles are strained due to poor posture. This situation is common when reading, staring at the computer, or watching television for long periods of time. This discomfort manifests as a weight on the shoulders and neck that causes stiffness and makes the muscle area hard on the heel.
2. Stiff neck: It is a muscle spasm caused by poor posture when sleeping or by a sudden movement of the neck. When a torticollis occurs, you will find that you feel intense pain on one side of your neck when you try to tilt your head.
3. Herniated disc: It occurs when there is a displacement of the disc that lives between two vertebrae due to poor posture, spinal wear or accident. This displacement can occur along the spine. When this pain is most acute in the nape, it means that the displacement has occurred in the vertical disc.
4. Cervical inflammation: The cervix is ​​the back of the neck where the cervical vertebrae meet. When inflammation occurs in this area, the muscles, nerves, joints and bones may be sore, which is why you feel pain in more than one area. In addition to stiffness and pain, symptoms of cervical inflammation include spreading discomfort to the arms, tingling in the hands, and upper extremities. From unCOMO, we advise you to take a look at this detailed article on How to prevent and relieve cervical pain.
5. Muscle sprain: Known as the “whiplash” effect, it occurs when the neck has undergone a very sudden movement. This movement causes the ligaments to be stretched, the muscles torn, or the joints sprained. It is very common in car accidents or during contact sports such as American football, judo, karate, etc.

Although these are not so common causes of neck pain on the right side, they are directly associated with this discomfort. To diagnose yourself with any of these problems, it is a medical evaluation is essential to which you should go if the pain does not subside within a week of treatment.

1. Meningitis: Meningitis is a very delicate and serious bacterial or viral infection that causes inflammation of the membranes that line the brain. Some of the various symptoms it presents are the complete stiffness of the neck and the inability to flex it towards the chin.
2. Osteoarthritis: It is the product of the wear and tear of the cartilage of the spinal joints. It occurs in older adults or people who suffer from decalcification problems.
3. Bruxism: Neck pain on the right (or left) side can also be due to the tightness and stiffness of the jaw from bruxism. You must bear in mind that all the bones of the face are connected to each other and linked to the neck, so that when biting and moving the jaw, the neck area also suffers certain discomfort. This article on How to remove stress jaw pain can be of great help to better understand this problem and remedy it as soon as possible.
4. Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia is a disease that affects all the muscles and fibrous tissues of the body, including the neck.

When pain is the result of a torticollis, the way to relieve it is much easier than when it comes to another cause. There are medications and exercises that can be very useful so, below, we will discover some neck pain treatments On the right side:

1. Analgesics: Under medical supervision, pain relievers can help you noticeably decrease neck pain. You can consult your doctor to diagnose you and see if you are in a position to take an anti-inflammatory for minimize stiffness of muscles.
2. Compresses: Putting warm compresses on the painful area for 15 minutes also helps relax muscles and relieve discomfort.
3. Anti-inflammatory ointments: on the market there are a large number of natural and not very aggressive ointments that can help you reduce the inflammation of the affected area, which will provide you with a feeling of relief. Avoid massaging the muscle too much when applying the ointment, as this could make you stiff and worsen your symptoms.
4. Strength exercise: If it is a torticollis or the pain is clearly localized, rest your head on the hand on the affected side. The arm should be at a 45 ° angle relative to the shoulder and head. Next, apply pressure to the hand pushing your head towards the affected side.
5. Stretching the neck muscles: One technique that can be very beneficial is to stand up, with your legs spread at shoulder level, and bend your waist forward, letting your entire body weight fall on your arms. Then slowly and carefully rotate your head to stretch the muscles in the area and get them used to the movement.
6. Taking care of your posture when sleepingIf you are used to sleeping on your side, placing a pillow between your legs and making sure you have good neck support can go a long way. In this article on How to improve your sleeping posture you will find a large number of tips and tricks to avoid similar injuries in the neck area.

If symptoms persist after seven days, it is important to see a doctor for a more in-depth diagnosis. At UNCOMO we value the opinion of specialists when there is a suspicion of an illness or acute discomfort. We hope we have helped you better understand the causes and treatment of neck pain on the right side.

This article is merely informative, at oneHOWTO we do not have the power to prescribe any medical treatment or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Causes and treatment of neck pain on the right side, we recommend that you enter our category of Diseases and side effects.