Neck muscles have an essential role in supporting and stabilizing your neck. More than 20 muscles are working to keep your head supported and moving. Your neck muscles have a range of responsibilities, from helping you chew to keeping you breathing.
What Are the Neck Muscles?
Your neck muscle anatomy fits into three categories, the anterior, lateral, and posterior neck muscles. These three muscles help your head move. Two major neck muscles, the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid, help your throat function.
These are only two of your 20 neck muscles. The primary neck muscle function is to support and move your neck and head. Your neck muscle structure surrounds your cervical vertebrae.
Various neck muscle functions range from moving your upper ribs up while inhaling to helping you make some facial expressions. Your neck muscles also help you chew, swallow, and speak.
Your spinal column bones are connected by small joints and work with your neck muscles to move your head in all directions.
Types of Neck Muscles
Your neck muscles ensure your head is balanced and can move in multiple directions. All 20 of your neck muscles help keep your head safe and stable.
Anterior neck muscles. Your front neck muscles consist of superficial neck muscles. These muscles help you move your mouth, your lower face, and the front of your neck. These muscles also help you angle your neck downward and rotate your neck around.
The suprahyoid muscles move your jaw and help you move your hyoid bone when swallowing or speaking. These muscles control your hyoid bone when moving your jaw or mouth. Infrahyoid muscles move the hyoid bone and your larynx down as well.
Scalenes are another muscle in the anterior neck that help you rotate your neck and pull your head back.
Lateral neck muscles. These five neck muscles play a role in moving your head around and contracting your neck.
Posterior neck muscles. These muscles are grouped in threes. The first group, superficial muscles, helps bend your neck laterally and bilaterally.
The second group, suboccipital muscles, helps rotate your head and bend your neck.
The third group, transversospinalis muscles, extends your head, cervical, and thoracic spine. They also bend your head, neck, and spine in different directions. These muscles also help support and stabilize your spine.
Signs Something Could Be Wrong With Your Neck Muscles
Neck pain is a common problem, especially for people who sit at a desk all day or participate in sports that can strain the neck.
Neck muscle injuries can be painful and cause more than just pain. It's wise to look out for signs of problems with your neck muscles.
You can get neck muscle injuries by not using them often enough. You may notice stiffness in your neck or shoulders if you’re desk-bound and sitting in bent positions with tensed muscles for long periods. This tension can also cause headaches.
Another sign something is wrong with your neck muscles is a numb or tingly feeling in your shoulders and down your arm. A pinched nerve in your neck may cause these feelings. Sometimes your muscles or bones can put too much pressure on the nerve, causing these sensations.
If you’re feeling stiff down one side of your neck or it’s hard to turn your head, you may have neck muscle spasms. Home remedies are available, but these spasms typically go away after a day or two.
Most times, neck pain happens alongside upper back and arm pain. This pain may feel burning, shooting, or stabbing. You may feel pain in your shoulder.
Neck muscle injuries can occur from trauma. The most common cause of neck problems is whiplash. You can get whiplash from:
- Car accidents
- Falls
- Sports accidents
- Rapid movement
What Conditions Affect Neck Muscles?
There are a few conditions that affect your neck muscles. If you have pain moving your neck, it may be related to your muscles.
Polymyalgia rheumatica. This inflammatory condition affects your muscles and can cause pain and stiffness in your neck. Polymyalgia rheumatica develops quickly and, sometimes overnight, can make it hard for you to lift your arms over your head.
Neck muscle strains. Spending too much time bent over your laptop, smartphone, or book can cause muscle strains. Not protecting your posture can cause neck strains that can be painful or stiff.
Other ways you can strain your neck muscles include:
- Bending over your desk at home or work
- Not having your laptop or monitor positioned right
- Sleeping in an uncomfortable position
- Sitting slouched over on the couch while watching TV or reading
- Twisting your neck while exercising
- Lifting heavy things with bad posture
Nerve compression. A herniated disk in your neck vertebrae can press on your nerves from your spinal cord. These pinched nerves can cause neck pain and irritate your neck muscles as well, causing stiffness.
Disc degeneration. Arthritis narrows your spinal canal, causing muscle inflammation, strain, or trauma. This damage to your neck muscles can cause neck pain and even develop into severe problems. Disc degeneration can sometimes be a sign of cancer or meningitis.
You should talk to your doctor if you have consistent neck pain and stiffness. They’ll be able to help you get a diagnosis and find some relief.
How to Keep Your Neck Muscles Healthy
When you have a lot of neck muscle pain, try relaxing and reducing your stress. A relaxation or meditation exercise can help release tension in your neck and shoulders. If you're still tense, see if a friend or partner can give you a gentle massage to reduce the stress in your neck.
Practicing good posture can also help keep your neck muscles healthy. If you have a desk job, take these measures to protect your neck at work. Take multiple breaks to move, stretch, and relax. Adjust your desk, chair, and computer for good posture.
Dealing with frequent neck pain and headaches means it's time to focus on your neck muscles. Take action to straighten up your posture, and ensure you're doing the right things to relieve tension.