Muscle Spasms Neck
Do you experience a sharp and sudden pain in your neck? Do you have muscle contractions that don't let go? You probably have a neck muscle spasm. This can happen in a single area of your neck, or in several areas at the same time. The discomfort ranges from passing to shocking pain.
The sudden pain caused by neck muscle spasms can happen deep in your muscle. Muscle spasms in your neck cause it to feel tight or frozen. You need to massage or manipulate the muscle to find some relief. Your Midtown Manhattan sports and pain doctor offers a range of options for muscle spasms in neck treatment.
Muscle Spasms Neck NYC — SPIN Sports Pain Specialists
Ready to get relief from neck muscle spasms?
Same-day neck muscle spasm appointments available.
What Causes Muscle Spasms?
Neck muscle spasms can happen at any time and in any neck muscle. But they're more common for people who do both manual labor and office work. Both jobs put stress and strain on your neck.
Among the many potential causes for muscle spasms in the neck, the more common ones include:
- Carrying an especially unbalanced load on your shoulder
- Carrying an awkward load in one or both arms
- Subjecting your neck to unnatural positions for extended periods of time. Sleeping in a bad position or holding your phone between your shoulder and ear can cause muscle spasms.
- Letting emotional stress collect in your neck muscles, causing tension
- Suffering from degenerative conditions of your spine, such as cervical spondylosis
- Putting excessive strain on your neck during long periods of work or exercise
- Suffering from migraines or tension headaches
- Slouching or practicing poor posture
- Sitting for hours at a desk or computer
- Not hydrating
- Trigger point area of taut muscle fibers
Less common reasons for neck muscle spasms pain can be more serious. These causes include:
- Certain serious infections like meningitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord due to infection)
- An inflammatory condition called ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis in the spine and joints)
- Torticollis also called cervical dystonia (involuntary neck contractions causing you to twist and tilt your head)
- A narrowing of your spine's open space is called spinal stenosis
- Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ or TMD) affect your jaw and the muscles that surround it
- Whiplash or trauma from accidents or falls
- Pressure caused by a herniated disc
Muscle Spasms Are Not to Be Taken Lightly
Neck muscle spasm treatment is a matter to be taken seriously. Some causes of muscle spasms in the neck are much more serious than others. If your symptoms get worse or last longer than a week, contact your New York City medical professional.
If you're experiencing any of the following in addition to your muscle spasms, seek emergency medical attention. These can be warning signs of meningitis that you can't afford to ignore. They include:
- Chills or fever
- Stiff neck
- Headache
- Skin discolorations that resemble bruises
What is Neck Muscle Spasm Treatment?
Being mindful of your body and its physical limitations is a great place to start. Keeping your body hydrated and taking breaks from your work or exercise to stretch and move can prevent a muscle spasm in the neck. Myofascial neck pain is positively affected by stretching. Stretching helps to keep the bands of muscle loose.
Depending on the nature of your neck muscle spasms, further medical attention may be necessary. Muscle spasm in neck treatment is custom-fit to your needs. Neck muscle spasm treatment can require medication if the actual muscle has been injured or compromised.
Potential Complications
Neck spasms can be signs of more serious issues. If you fail to seek treatment, permanent damage or complications can result. See your Midtown Manhattan sports and pain medicine doctor. He can determine the cause of your neck muscle spasms and begin neck muscle spasms treatment as soon as possible. Complications from inaction can include:
Compromised mobility and flexibility
Permanent nerve damage
Chronic pain
Paralysis
Pain, weakness, and loss of proper function
Choosing Your Allies
Our medical professional is your best line of defense against the lasting damage from muscle spasms. Pain from muscle spasms in your neck can last minutes or weeks. Don't wait for the pain to go away on its own.
Be mindful of stress, overuse, and posture. In severe cases when simple rest isn't enough, discovering the underlying causes of your spasms can mean the difference between passing discomfort and lifelong infirmity. Ignoring your pain only serves to make matters worse. Listen to what your body is trying to tell you.
Ready to find relief from neck muscle spasms?
Dr. Melepura's Midtown Manhattan clinic offers same-day appointments for evaluation and treatment.
Real Stories from our Patients
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD
Double Board-Certified Pain Specialist
Meet Dr. Febin Melepura — Your Neck Muscle Spasm Specialist in NYC
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD is a double board-certified interventional pain management specialist and the founder of the Sports Pain Institute of New York. He completed his residency and fellowship training at New York Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.
He holds dual board certifications from the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine, and has treated more than 7,500 patients and performed over 5,250 procedures throughout his career. He has been named a Top Pain Management Doctor in New York and one of America's Top Doctors™ by Castle Connolly.
Dr. Melepura's approach to neck muscle spasms is rooted in precision: identify the exact source, treat it with a targeted injection, and get you back to your daily life as quickly as possible.
Ready to Book an Appointment?
Same-day appointments available. Call (212) 621-7746 or book online.
What Our Neck Muscle Spasm Patients Say
"Able to make an appointment to see Dr. Melepura on short notice… attentive to my concerns… Jazmin was also very kind and helpful."
"Excellent hospitality, listener and explainer… highly recommend the doctor and the place."
"Dr. Melepura is the best! He worked with me to find the optimal solution to my shoulder pain while I was preparing for a fight!"
"Lovely, bright and modern… doctor and staff were kind… felt my concerns were heard."
"Helpful and friendly staff who gladly follows up with you if and when needed. Dr Melepura was very helpful and professional as well as provided me with excellent information and feedback."
"Dr Febin is fantastic! Highly recommend him and his practice the Spin clinic. The doctor is a good listener, kind, attentive and gave me great advice. "
"Dr.Melepura was very efficient and interpersonal, felt like he was understanding the problems I was having and explained the processes to take to rehabilitate. I would recommend."
"I felt listened to and truly understood by Dr. Melepura. Started PT the very next day. They were very friendly and I didn't feel rushed at all. Already recommended them to my friends who have or continue to play through pain."