Apply ice for 20 minutes a few times a day to help relieve neck inflammation. You can also alternate between applying ice and heat. Taking a warm bath or shower or using a heating pad may also help.
Applying heat to the site of your stiff muscles can help loosen them up. Once your muscles are moving freely, the nerves in your spine can relax and your range of motion should return. Applying a heating pad to the area for 8 to 10 minutes is one way of using heat to relieve a crick in your neck.
Sitting for prolonged periods of time can be a major cause of back pain, cause increased stress of the back, neck, arms, and legs, and can add a tremendous amount of pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs.
Massaging can help reduce the tension in your muscles that may be making your neck stiff. There are massages you can do on yourself. However, we recommend asking a partner to massage your neck or visiting a professional for help. Having someone else massage your neck allows you to relax.
Meningitis—which in its most dangerous form is a bacterial infection that causes the protective membranes of the brain and spinal cord to be inflamed—is the most common serious condition associated with a stiff neck.