|
|
Newsletter - Relieving tight & painful Neck and Shoulders
Locating and treating the core source of tightness and pain and increasing
muscle efficiency and Range of Motion
In the last issue (Mar 14 see below) I discussed the symptoms and causes of
tight and painful neck and shoulder muscles . Today I will describe the
treatment of these conditions - and as usual I will try to keep it brief. For
more details drop me an
Email.
Locating traumatized Muscles
Now that we know how to recognize the symptoms, let’s talk about locating
problem regions on the neck and shoulders. Sometimes the problem areas are easy
to find and sometimes not. If there is constant muscular pain even at rest, we
can find the problem muscle tissue easily by palpating the tissue in the related
area. If there is only intermittent pain we can we can move our body to
replicate the pain and palpate the related tissue for pain spots. With just
tightness, discomfort or restricted range of motion even though you do not feel
pain, it is present, and we can find it by palpating the tissue. Sometimes
tension in one area causes pain in another area - a referred pain area. This
will explain how a tight shoulder can cause a headache.
All of the above situations are different stages of similar problems caused by
similar trigger points - we discussed how trigger points are activated, in the
Mar 14 newsletter. To find these points in the muscles, tendons and ligaments we
run our fingers over the general problem area and feel for tight or ‘hard’ bands
of muscle and other tissue in the area. This is usually evidence that there is
trouble here and deeper palpation will reveal pain spots that are the trigger
points we are looking for. In a later issue I will explain how and why soft
tissue tightens, shortens and thickens and the role of trigger points in this
process.
The major muscles of he neck and shoulders that can cause tightness, pain and
reduced range of motion are:
The upper Trapezium - on the back of the neck and top of shoulder -
originates at the base of the skull and attaches to the spine of shoulder blade.
The Levator Scapular - used to lift the shoulders - originates at the sides
of the upper neck (cervical vertebrae) and attaches to the shoulder blade. It
lies beneath the Trapezium.
The Scalenes and Sternocleidomastoid are on the side of the neck.
TIP: To palpate your left neck and shoulder, use your right hand and
vice versa.
To see visuals of these muscles these muscles isolated, click on the links
below
My WebPage
Neck - Upper
Trapezium Muscles Image
Shoulder -
Mid Trapezium Muscles Image
Neck and
Shoulder blade - Levator Scapular Image
Side of Neck - Sternocleido Mastoid Muscles Image
Base
of skull (Occiput) - Spenius Muscles Image
Treatment of Trigger Points and relief of Neck and Shoulder discomfort
So, if pain is related to tightness, why is there tightness in parts of the body
but no pain e.g. the forearm. Well, there is pain but we don't feel it since it
is still below our pain threshold. Sadly this is the reason muscle tension is
usually not treated in its early stages. We are now at the stage where we can
find Trigger Points in the neck and shoulders and treat them to relieve the
affected tissue.
To isolate the trigger point, cup your hand and use the fingertips to roll and
knead the tissue to soften the outer layers and make the deeper layers
accessible. use your right hand on your left shoulder and vice versa. While
you’re doing this you will feel one or two distinct pain areas. Slowly circle an
area until you find that intense spot (epicenter) - Yes it will be surprisingly
intense. Now, if the angle is comfortable use the thumb, supported by the
forefinger (Pres. Clinton’s gesture) to apply gentle focused pressure on the
point. Or with the hand cupped you could use the middle finger to pull on the
point. Check that you are comfortable and relaxed and hold pressure on that
point for 20-60 seconds. Use the diagrams as a guide to locate the muscles. The
more pressure you use the more intense the pain. Find a firm but comfortable
level and then hold. Adjust the pain level so you can be relaxed at this time.
Take note of the pain intensity before and after the treatment. The pain should
have diminished slightly. Each time you repeat this procedure the pain will
diminish quicker and to a larger degree, the muscle will feel softer and the
range of motion in your neck and shoulders will have increased.
You can repeat this procedure as many times and at any time of day you like.
Remember the results depend largely on the accuracy and the technique of the
treatment. Developing good relaxing, meditation, and stretching habits can
complement this process. For some illustrated stretches go to
Neck and Shoulder Stretching Exercises. If you have any questions
regarding this, you are welcome to contact me.
When one feels pain generally the first thing one does is take a pain tablet -
this merely blocks the pain and does not remove the primary cause. Massage is
beneficial since it tries to address the causes, relaxes the client and improves
circulation and soft tissue texture and movement. Trigger Point also known as
Neuromuscular therapy takes this a step further. It isolates and treats the
affected area and reduces the tension and pain, restores the muscle length,
increases range of motion and releases pressure on blood vessels and nerves.
Simply put, it helps the musculoskeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, and nervous
systems and really does make you feel rejuvenated.
In the next issue I will cover symptoms, causes and the treatment of tight and
painful muscles in another part of the body using Neuromuscular Therapy.
|
