I recently went cliff diving off of a 40 foot drop, hit the water weird, and now have a very sore neck. It feels like its hit right on my spine, where my shoulder blades meet.

From what you have mentioned, it appears that a whiplash injury is the most likely reason for your sore neck. An injury that is essentially caused to the neck or the cervical vertebrae is known as a whiplash injury. The actual injury is caused due to the abrupt jerks that the body experiences at the time of performing acceleration or deceleration actions, whilst going about activities such as working, playing or even traveling.

It is extremely critical that you seek the assistance of a medical professional in evaluating the exact degree of injury caused to the neck, which has led to your sore and stiff neck. Involving a doctor would ensure immediate and appropriate treatment and healing instead of opting for home remedies based on speculation. It is advisable not to use any type of hot or cold applications at all near the affected area, until and unless you are sure about the cause of the pain. It is also important to eliminate any possibilities of secondary injuries which may have occurred to other parts of your neck or even your spinal cord. It is possible that your doctor may recommend the use of a neck brace to ensure prevention of further straining of the muscles and to help in stabilizing your upper body against any variations in temperature. Individuals suffering from neck injuries may notice the weakening of their neck muscles as their actions get restricted.

It is therefore necessary that your focus should currently be to reduce the inflammation in the neck and areas around it as far as possible, and to prevent any scar tissue from developing, whilst ensuring that you avoid the occurrence of chronic neck pain caused by the injury. It is also possible that the pain and uneasiness that you are feeling is associated with the connective tissues, sinews and discs in the affected area that may have experienced some type of trauma. These thick fibrous tissues may take up to seven to nine weeks to heal completely from this injury, depending upon the degree of damage. Most importantly these tissues have a slower pace of healing when compared with bones and muscles anywhere else in the body.

It is not recommended to attempt natural therapies or home remedies to treat your condition of pain and discomfort. If your injury is ignored and not evaluated by medical experts, it is possible that you may develop certain complications. Whilst it is true that some home treatments may be beneficial in providing you with temporary relief from your symptoms, the greater concern is that they may cover up far more serious underlying problems.

answered by G M

• Take a soft napkin, heat it and tie it around your neck before going off to sleep.
• Do not use pillows till you have sore neck. Instead, twist a soft towel and place it at the back of your neck. Sleep straight and not on your sides for a few days.
• Do not turn suddenly and move your whole body whenever you have to turn.
• Do heat massage with the help of a heating pad or hot water bag.
• Do not bend or do any strenuous exercise till the soreness lasts.
• Rotate our neck lightly in a rolling motion first clockwise and then anti-clock wise. Then move it in a shaking motion and then in a nodding motion. Do this for not more than 5 to 7 minutes.
• Sit in a chair that provides back support as the neck bone are connected to the backbone.
• Gently massage the affected area with warm comfrey oil or cream or mustard oil in which 2 to 3 cloves of garlic has been heated. Arnica ointment ca also be applied to the area.
• Try to rest neck by lying down as much as you can.
• Eat aspirin or ibuprofen for relief from the pain.
• Apply horse chestnut gel to your neck at an interval of 2 hours till the pain reduces.

answered by D D