Stiff neck from desk work
Your neck feels tight and sore after hours at a desk. Turning your head to one side may pull or catch. The ache can spread into your shoulders or up the back of your head.
Holding one position for a long time is the usual reason. Your head is heavy, and the muscles at the back of your neck hold it up all day. A screen set too low, a phone tucked against your ear, or a chair that is too far from the desk all add to that load.
Stress can play a part too. Many people pull their shoulders up toward their ears without noticing. By late afternoon those muscles are tired and sore.
When to see someone
See a doctor if you have pain, numbness, or pins and needles that run down your arm or into your hand. Go the same day if your grip feels weak, or if you have a fever with a stiff neck and a bad headache. Get checked right away if the neck pain began after a fall or a car crash.
Below is a list of traditional home approaches for neck and shoulder pain. Each one has a grade that shows how much research has looked at it.
A high grade means there is solid study behind it. A low grade means the evidence is thin or mostly based on long use. The grade is about the evidence, not a promise about you.
4.8
