Neck pain is a common complaint of many people. The neck is a vital yet vulnerable body part that is especially prone to strains or injuries. Many adults experience pain in the right side of the neck, often accompanied by muscle stiffness and restricted neck movement. This pain can often radiate upwards towards the back of the head or downwards to the shoulders, arms, and back. Weakness of muscles in the arm, numbness, dizziness, and headache could also be a few symptoms which can help in detecting the underlying cause of the pain. Let us now have a look at the causes, treatment, and prevention of neck pain on the right side.

What Can Cause Shoulder and Neck Pain on Right Side?

If you are suffering from neck pain on the right side of the neck, then you may wondering what causes this,. Here are 7 possible causes to can consider.

Incorrect posture

Poor posture is the biggest culprit behind frequent pain in right side of neck. When you don't maintain good posture while sitting or standing, the muscles of the neck are under constant strain. What counts as poor posture? Inadequate support for the back or hunching your back are just the beginning, and they lead to pain, stiffness, and discomfort.

Stressed out all the time

Prolonged stress and anxiety can sometimes manifest itself as muscle aches and stiffness, typically around the neck and shoulder region.The neck, arms, and shoulder region are rich in nerve supply, and any form of stress can affect these nerves and subsequently the muscles. If you often catch yourself experiencing dull muscle aches in the body without any specific cause, you should consider the possibility of high stress levels.

Poor sleeping position

Using too many pillows or very hard pillows while sleeping can cause strain on the neck muscles leading to neck pain. The angle between your neck and body should be straight. The sharper the the angle between your neck and your body while sleeping, the higher the chances of you waking up with torticollis (a severely stiffened neck). Remember, the ideal is for your neck and body to be in alignment while sleeping. Any deviation from this will result in neck pain right side.

Whiplash injury

This is also known as a neck sprain, and with whiplash, the pain arises from injury to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. When your neck experiences a sudden jerk due to the application of any strong force (such as from a car accident or a sports injury), you may experience blurred vision, neck pain, or inability to sleep .

Brachial plexus injury

The brachial plexus is a group of nerves that connect your shoulders, hands, spine, and arms. Injury to the brachial plexus (such as from an accident) can result in severe pain in the neck.

Cervical disc herniation

Your spine, very simply, is composed of the vertebrae (the bones) and the cervical discs, fibrous ring that provide cushioning between the hard vertebrae as they move. When the cervical discs break and the jelly-like material inside them leaks into the spinal canal, numbness and weakness in arm muscles are its common symptoms.

Diseases involving musculoskeletal system

Necks are very complex structures consisting of many muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and joints. Diseases or degenerative conditions involving these structures can give rise to pain in right side of neck. These conditions include fractures of cervical vertebrae, arthritis, inflammation of joints, and nerve compression.

How to Relieve and Prevent Neck Pain on Right Side?

Now that we have discussed the causes of neck pain, here are a few treatments that you can try at home for relief.

Home Remedies that Can Relieve Your Neck Pain

• Good posture is vital - If you're experiencing neck pain, good posture while sitting, standing, or sleeping can help relieve your pain effectively.

• Use ice packs - A few ice cubes in a towel and place it over the back of your neck. This will dull the pain and make it less perceivable.

• Slowly exercise the affected muscle - Move your neck slowly in all directions. The idea is to stretch the affected muscle slowly so that the recovery process hastens. Move your neck in circular motions, side to side, up and down, and stop immediately whenever you feel sharp pain.

• Massage your neck gently - Massaging the neck increases the blood flow and speeds up the healing process. While massaging the neck, avoid the affected area and focus only around the surrounding parts. This will ease the tension in the surrounding parts and increase blood flow to the affected part. It will also help avoid worsening the injury. The use of essential oils like citronella while massaging your neck will also alleviate pain.

• Pain killer medications - You can get over the counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen for neck pain. For local application, apply a balm over the right side of the neck and massage it gently into the skin.

• Use a neck brace - To support your neck, make use of a neck brace or collar. It provides stability to the neck and prevents painful movements.

When to see a doctor

If the pain doesn't resolve after home remedies, ice packs, gentle massage, and pain killer medications, which are supposed to provide improvement in the pain in right side of neck within a few days, it would be a good idea to see a doctor and get yourself thoroughly examined to find out the underlying conditions. There are also serious conditions which need proper medical and surgical treatment: if the neck pain has occurred after an accident or an injury, or accompanies high fever, it will not resolve by merely resorting to home remedies and it is advisable to see your doctor immediately.

How to prevent neck pain?

• A correct sleeping position - Use a soft pillow while sleeping, and avoid the use of too many pillows as a sharp angle between the neck and body can result in neck pain. Keep yourself warm while sleeping as cold air can stiffen the muscles leading to pain.

• Maintain a good posture at all times - Whether you are sitting, standing, or lying down, make sure that you maintain the correct posture to avoid straining your neck muscle.

• Manage your stress levels - Yoga, meditation, exercise, etc., will keep your stress levels in check, reduce your anxiety, and keep you physically strong. All these factors when combine will prevent frequent neck pain and muscle spasms.

To Conclude

Neck pain on the right side can be caused due to poor posture, stress, and some serious conditions like injury due to accident. Make use of home remedies like ice packs and gentle massage for neck pain. If you do not experience any improvement in symptoms, get yourself examined by a doctor.