Neck Popping and Cricking

Question

Dear TAI Experts:

When I’m doing physical activities and I move my neck randomly, it will pop or I’ll get a crick in it. It stings badly and it almost feels like its bleeding in the inside of my neck. I tilt my head to the side to try and ease the pain and it goes away in a few minutes. What is this and how can I fix it?

Answer

Without doing an examination of your neck I cannot comment specifically on your condition. Generally, popping can occur in joints that have fluid within the capsule (synovial joints). This popping is usually a result of a dramatic reduction in pressure within the joint, causing gas bubbles within the joint fluid to release. Popping can also be associated with tendons and/or ligaments moving across each other. An orthopedic physical therapist would be able assess the structures in your neck that are contributing to your symptoms and guide treatment, which may include manual therapy and therapeutic exercise. If you should experience dizziness, difficulty swallowing, fainting, nausea, vomiting, or double vision I would suggest seeking medical care.

Leslie Girard, PT, DPT