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Is It Possible For Tightness Of The Neck Muscle These Last Few Mornings To Be Related To Stress, Tension And Anxiety?
Posted on
Wed, 4 Jul 2018
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Wed, 4 Jul 2018
Answered on
Fri, 1 Jul 2022
Last reviewed on
Question : Hello, is it possible to have osteoarthritis symptoms only on one side of the neck across from the jaw and not on the other side? For the past several mornings I wake up with tightness on the right side of my neck although I sleep only on my left side. I need to massage it, and the tightness eventually subsides. I also have some tendonosis in the right shoulder. Taking ibuprofen seems to help a lot, but I am afraid to take it regularly every morning...
Is it alternatively possible that this tightness of the neck muscle these last few mornings is somehow related to stress, tension and anxiety? If so, how does this work, especially only on one side (the side I don't sleep on)?
Thank you.
Is it alternatively possible that this tightness of the neck muscle these last few mornings is somehow related to stress, tension and anxiety? If so, how does this work, especially only on one side (the side I don't sleep on)?
Thank you.
Brief Answer:
Anxiety is less likely to be the cause. Below are more explanations and advises.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The tightness in your neck can be caused by different causes.
Concerning to osteoarthritis in the neck, it develops in the joints between the neck bones so a patient might have pain in that area (middle section at the back of the neck) and sometimes bone spurs grow at the sides of these joints. These might put pressure on the nerves as they come out from the spine to go to the left or right of our body. The pressure that these bone spur cause to the nerve can cause symptoms on one side.
In this case you would most likely feel numbness or tingling in the area. The spur might cause pressure and tension on the muscles of the neck as well and cause them to be in spasm. with pain on one side.
Sometimes muscle spasms can happen even without osteoarthritis so to make sure if you have arthritis or not probably an x-ray of the neck will be needed to show the narrowing of the space between neck bones (vertebra) and if bone spurs have developed.
Anxiety mostly would cause pain during the day and at night pains due to anxiety should be less likely.
To conclude I would say:
- It is less likely that anxiety is the cause of neck pains in the morning, generally, they subside during the night. We should rule out other causes before deciding they are related to anxiety
- Osteoarthritis can cause one side pains or muscular spasms due to bone spurs that grow and may put pressure on the nerves that go through there or the muscles that attach to the area.
- Muscle spasms can happen even without osteoarthritis so investigations to diagnose osteoarthritis might be done
- The fact that ibuprofen helps is a good sign and if you have no stomach pains (and use no chronic medications) you can have an ibuprofen in the morning after food for 2 weeks to help muscles relax.
- Meanwhile, you can look for a physiotherapist that will examine you and help reduce the tension on the muscles and give you exercises that will help them relax
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Anxiety is less likely to be the cause. Below are more explanations and advises.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The tightness in your neck can be caused by different causes.
Concerning to osteoarthritis in the neck, it develops in the joints between the neck bones so a patient might have pain in that area (middle section at the back of the neck) and sometimes bone spurs grow at the sides of these joints. These might put pressure on the nerves as they come out from the spine to go to the left or right of our body. The pressure that these bone spur cause to the nerve can cause symptoms on one side.
In this case you would most likely feel numbness or tingling in the area. The spur might cause pressure and tension on the muscles of the neck as well and cause them to be in spasm. with pain on one side.
Sometimes muscle spasms can happen even without osteoarthritis so to make sure if you have arthritis or not probably an x-ray of the neck will be needed to show the narrowing of the space between neck bones (vertebra) and if bone spurs have developed.
Anxiety mostly would cause pain during the day and at night pains due to anxiety should be less likely.
To conclude I would say:
- It is less likely that anxiety is the cause of neck pains in the morning, generally, they subside during the night. We should rule out other causes before deciding they are related to anxiety
- Osteoarthritis can cause one side pains or muscular spasms due to bone spurs that grow and may put pressure on the nerves that go through there or the muscles that attach to the area.
- Muscle spasms can happen even without osteoarthritis so investigations to diagnose osteoarthritis might be done
- The fact that ibuprofen helps is a good sign and if you have no stomach pains (and use no chronic medications) you can have an ibuprofen in the morning after food for 2 weeks to help muscles relax.
- Meanwhile, you can look for a physiotherapist that will examine you and help reduce the tension on the muscles and give you exercises that will help them relax
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Answered by
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