Neck strain is a medical term that describes when one or more neck muscles, ligaments, or tendons are injured. Symptoms include stiffness, limited mobility (left/right and up/down), general discomfort, and pain. These symptoms get in the way of work, enjoyment of recreational activities, and can make the simple act of turning one’s head to look at something a daunting task. Given that you’re suffering neck strain from repetitive movements, poor posture, or an acute event (i.e. automobile accident) and you’re experiencing some combination of symptoms, you want to know; how long does it take for a neck strain to heal? Read ahead to find out.
How Long it Takes Neck Strain to Heal After an Injury and What You Can Do to Speed Up the Process in a Responsible Way
Healing Time by Grade of Neck Strain
While your neck injury (resulting in neck strain) may not be the result of an acute event, we can reference the expert-created classification system for detailing severity of neck strain and subsequent healing times.
- Grade 0: No injury with stiffness and little pain
- Grade 1: Pain only (typically mild)
- Grade 2: Pain plus signs of injury
- Grade 3: Pain plus signs of injury and neurological effects
- Grade 4: Severe pain and signs of serious or dangerous effects
Grade 0 may be the result of a mild sprain and inflammation from overuse (repetitive movements) that can begin feeling better after your very first visit with a chiropractor, and is typically gone within two weeks of chiropractic work.
Grade 1 is a mild strain with partial tearing. Healing time is generally within two weeks to one-month with chiropractic intervention.
Grade 2 is generally the result of injury such as whiplash, sustained in a mild to moderate motor vehicle accident (MVA). Healing time is generally within one to three months with chiropractic intervention.
Grade 3 is generally the result of injury such as whiplash, sustained in an MVA or other physically jarring incident. Healing time is generally within three to six months with chiropractic, physician, and neurological specialist interventions.
Grade 4 is generally the result of injury from an MVA or other physically jarring incident. Healing time is generally within 6 months to one-year with chiropractic, physician, and neurological specialist interventions.
Accelerate Healing by Combining Physiotherapy and Chiropractic Work
Healing times by classifications are approximations and vary upon health and wellness of an individual and whether or not they seek the assistance of a physiotherapist and chiropractor. Treatments that can help accelerate neck strain healing include the following:
- IMS dry needling
- TMC acupunture
- Traditional chiropractic adjustments
- Y-strap chiropractic adjustments
- Deep neck flexor training
View more on neck strain/pain treatments right here.
Are you located in the Greater Vancouver area? Significantly reduce the amount of time it takes for your neck injury to heal by coming in to our Burnaby clinic as soon as possible. Schedule a consultation for this week/weekend via the contacts provided below.