WAKING UP WITH A STIFF NECK?

Have you ever awoken with a stiff neck and wondered why? Many of our patients in Austin complain of this and don’t have any idea why this happens. There are a few possibilities as to why this bothersome condition plagues so many. First is stress. Most of us share in having a stressful life and this can cause chronic neck and shoulder tension. If this is the case and you have a particularly bad day or week, stress can really crank up the tension in your body and the ‘crick’ in the neck is the breaking point. In this case we would help calm you down, relieve the spasm in your neck and shoulder and help your body to cope with stress and all with acupuncture, Chinese herbs and lifestyle advice like meditation. Next, would be living conditions. Sleeping with a fan on every night and keeping your house cold can cause a wind related syndrome that starts with a stiff neck and ends up with a cold. In this case we would treat the condition with acupuncture and herbs and encourage a slight change in your environment to prevent further discomfort and waking with a stiff neck.