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If you’re wondering can tight neck muscles cause dizziness, the answer is yes. Although many people may not know this, these two issues could be related. If you had a neck injury or even head injury, conditions like cervical vertigo also known as cervicogen dizziness might be to blame.
The cervical spine provides balance feedback to the brain along with the inner ear and eyes. When upper cervical proprioceptors’ signals get interrupted, the body’s balance system provides an inaccurate depiction of head positioning. This, conclusively, results in dizziness, and often a headache since upper neck joints also refer pain to the brain.
Most of us work at the desk in front of the computer, and believe it or not, it is one of the unhealthiest tasks out there. Why you might ask? Well, unnatural posture and lack of physical activity result in various health issues.
Tight neck, headache, and even dizziness are just some of them, and they all come from bad posture. Besides this, sitting does not stimulate blood circulation, and that can bring its own set of problems. However, we’re not going to discuss that, but rather issues associated with a tight neck, and how we can relieve them.
You should avoid invasive procedures altogether since they can be ineffective. Surgery should be considered if that’s is your only option. Before you decide to take such a step, there are numerous, less-invasive ways to solve this issue.
One of the simplest and most effective options is physical therapy. However, you can do numerous neck exercises on your own to relieve the symptoms, and that’s exactly where you should start.
Before we continue, we have to warn you that dizziness can be a symptom of a more serious underlying issue like positional vertigo or cervical spondylosis, and if it persists, you should seek help from a qualified medical professional.
Conditions like those mentioned can be hard to diagnose and they are determined through a diagnosis of exclusion. Here is a set of exercises and tips intended to relieve pressure on neck muscles and alleviate symptoms that come with it.
Cardinal neck stretching
Photo credit: Computer and Text Neck Stretching Exercises
Cardinal neck stretching is a head-movement exercise. To do it properly sit upright or stand up with your shoulders relaxed. Move your head to the front until your chin touches your chest. Keep the same position for approximately 20 seconds.
Now move your head to the back and keep it there for another 20 seconds. Next, tilt your head to the right and hold the position for the same amount of time. Repeat the same movement, but for the left side.
Note: While performing the exercise no pain should be experienced. If you feel the pain, you should ease it up. However, you will probably experience some tension in the neck as well as some mild discomfort.
Neckroll – do not perform
While individual motion like the front to back, is harmless, turning your head during neck roll exercise can be dangerous. The main reason for this is numerous different neck movements occurring at the same time. This can cause injury, especially if you have neck problems. Although most of us did it at some point without apparent issues, this exercise can strain the neck muscles and cause permanent damage.
Side to side neck stretching
Here is another very useful exercise that can help you relieve tight neck and alleviate dizziness. Place your left palm on the right side of your head, and pull until your left ear touches the shoulder. Make sure that you do not perform any shoulder movement that decreases the movement of your head.
Your shoulders should be relaxed and in a fixed position. After you’re finished with the left side, move on to the right. Repeat the same process and keep your head to the left for approximately 20 seconds, or less if you feel discomfort.
Note: All of the movements should be slow and smooth without any sudden movements.
Shoulder rolling
Shoulder rolling exercise is a great simple way to relieve tension in back and neck muscles. All you have to do is roll your shoulders in a forward motion for approximately 20 rotations. After you finish, repeat the same procedure with backward motion.
All of these exercises should be performed several times during a day for the best results, and if they don’t work here are few other tips to consider.
Hot shower
Although it is not an exercise, a good long hot shower can do wonders for a stiff neck. All you have to do is focus the stream of comfortably-hot water down your neck.
Sitting properly
One of the most common mistakes people make when sitting is moving their bottom forward. This causes pressure on the tail bone, and it automatically arches the back. Ultimately this results in strained back and tight neck muscles that can cause dizziness, headache, and localized pain.
To sit properly, move your bottom all the way back into the chair and align your spine with a backrest. However, you have to pay attention to your sitting behavior throughout the day. Most of us subconsciously change our sitting posture as time progresses, and if you want to alleviate a tight neck, you must have proper posture constantly.
If none of these things work, you should opt-out for physical therapy. Numerous centers can help you resolve this issue. The only drawback to it is that it costs more. If physical therapy does not eliminate dizziness. There are a few other options.
Acupuncture
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Acupuncture, as we all know, is a procedure in which needles are inserted into the specific spots on the human body. This kind of treatment has been proven as very effective when it comes to the tight achy neck causing dizziness.
PRP treatment
PRP or platelet-rich plasma treatment is a procedure in which facet joints, which cause the pain in this case, are injected directly with PRP. This alleviates the neck pain, thus removing symptoms associated with it like dizziness.
Upper neck ligament treatment
Neck ligaments deteriorate due to disease, injury or even old age. When this occurs, increased head and neck movements put pressure on nerve roots causing neck pain, light headedness, and dizziness. Neck ligaments, as well as facet joints, can be treated with PRP to relieve pain and other symptoms.
If you or someone you know have tight neck causing dizziness, these are your options. If simple exercises don’t work, make sure you consult nonsurgical neck expert before taking a more serious approach. All the info in this article is for informational purposes only and you should consult a medical professional before taking any action.
