The Hidden Dangers of Neck Stiffness on Your Brain Health

Don't be fooled by its seemingly innocuous nature; a stiff neck can be a sign of underlying issues that can have far-reaching effects on your body. It's not just a minor inconvenience, but a potential indicator of more serious problems. 

At times, a stiff neck is a direct result of trauma. For instance, if you've experienced a whiplash car accident, the trauma to both the spine and its muscles can cause spasms, inflammation, and swelling, leading to severe restriction of neck mobility. However, it's important to remember that the body, in its wisdom, reacts to such trauma by stiffening the affected area to prevent further damage.

In the whiplash-type injury, the neck here goes into hyperextension, then hyperflexion, and can repeat this whipping action a few times. It's not only motor vehicle accidents that can induce whiplash. Boxers who sustain blows to the head can sustain a whiplash injury. In other sports, such as rugby and football, where someone is hit from behind in the upper back area, it can cause the head to reverberate in a back-and-forth direction, especially if the person is unaware of the impending jolt.

When the body experiences trauma, it often responds with protective measures. Muscles may seize up and go into spasm, a natural mechanism to prevent further damage. The spinal vertebrae's joints can also be affected, leading to swelling and a loss of normal position, a condition known as vertebral subluxation. This can impede normal nerve function.

What about neck stiffness that comes out of nowhere? Gradually, over time, a person may notice the neck stiffening up. People think their range of motion is normal, but gradually, they can't look over their shoulder in the car to check the blind spot. I see patients who have lost more than 50% of neck rotation. So what has caused the issue, how is it affecting their body, and what can be done about it?