Can you relieve muscle pain in your neck yourself?
The answer to this question is a clear yes, at least in most of the cases.
When your neck hurts, it often does due to excessive muscle tension.
Neck pain is often caused by tense muscles in this area, and you can take care of it yourself.
On this page I will show you which muscles are usually responsible for this kind of pain and how to get it under control.
The muscles in the nape of the neck and the shoulder are responsible for tension that often leads to a painful, stiff neck.
A self-massage presents itself as a good treatment option. It allows you to relax the affected muscles and thus relieve pain.
Many people experience improvement immediately after the first massage.
Why does a self-massage work?
If you massage the nape of your neck, then you “communicate” with your nervous system.
Your nervous system is the body’s control station, and as such also controls your muscle tension.
When you massage tense and painful areas, you are telling the brain to reduce the muscle tension in the area in question.
In order to eliminate tension in this part of your body, you will have to focus mainly on two areas, i.e. the nape of the neck and the shoulders.
Both areas contribute to a sore and painful neck since they make up an inseparable unit. They are linked by certain muscles, which influence each other.
That means, too much tension in the shoulder muscles can radiate in the nape of the neck causing problems there, and vice versa.
There are also trigger points in the shoulder muscles that can lead to neck pain.
You can massage your neck and shoulders with your fingers, a massage ball or the Trigger Fairy.
A massage with your fingers is very effective, but only if you have strong fingers that do not tire easily.
If not, you risk hurting and straining them faster than you’d like. So be careful when using your fingers.
With a massage ball you can give your shoulders an effective and intense massage.
You can treat the region of the upper neck “reasonably” well. However, you need to lean against a wall, and “twist” somewhat.
With the Trigger Fairy, you can massage your entire neck and shoulder area.
You can do so without having to stand up, without having to lean against a wall, and most importantly, without straining your fingers.
This is very practical if you are at the office or at home sitting on the sofa.
Below are instructions on how to do the massage using the Trigger Fairy.
For those who do not have a Trigger Fairy, you will find self-massage instructions using your fingers or a massage ball, in written form, in images, and in video at the bottom of this page.
Massage yourself every day until your pain is gone.
Muscles: Erector spinae, levator scapula, and the splenius cervicis
Let’s get started directly in the nape area using precise massage strokes.
Proceed in this way over your entire neck area, and apply pressure from behind as well as from the side.
As an alternative, you can use the pressure-motion technique.
Muscle: Middle trapezius
Many people experience tension in the middle trapezius muscle, which often contributes to pain and tension in the neck.
It is therefore important to examine this muscle thoroughly! Don’t worry if you have never heard of it and do not know where it is.
It is only important to know the area you need to massage and work on. This is your upper shoulder area – right there where you knead instinctively when your neck is sore and tense.
To make sure to get all the tense spots, work on this area from the front, and then from above.
Pressure from the front – pressure-motion technique –
Pressure from above – Precise massage strokes –
Muscles: Lower part of the levator scapula, middle & lower trapezius, and the infraspinatus.
You will now massage the area of the angulus superior.
This is the bony area you can feel when you put one or two fingers over your shoulder and move them slowly.
From here you will be working towards the outside of your shoulder above your spine of scapula, and then proceed with the area below this spine as well as with the inner and ouert border of the shoulder blade (margo medialis and margo lateralis).
I recommend using the pressure-motion technique here. Apply pressure in the desired area and carry out one of the following movements:
For those among you who don’t own a Trigger Fairy, below are the instructions for massaging all the areas with your fingers or a massage ball.
Muscles: Erector spinae, levator scapulae, and the splenius cervicis
You can also use the pressure-motion technique to relieve pain and stiffness in your neck.
Be careful with your hands and fingers.
They can tire quickly, which may lead to overuse.
Muscle: Upper and middle part of the trapezius
Now, concentrate on the middle trapezius. This muscle is easy to find.
Muscles: Lower part of the levator scapulae, middle and lower trapezius, and the infraspinatus.
Last but not least, you need to massage the infraspinatus. This muscle lies on your shoulder blade, just below the spine of scapula.
The spine of scapula is the bony ridge on your shoulder blade. You can feel it when you place your fingers over your shoulder.
Place a ball on the muscle and search for painful areas. Massage each one of them with 10-15, very slow, rolling movements.
Test your mobility and the feeling of your neck once again.
Move your head very slowly in all possible directions.
Do you notice any changes?
It is important to keep evaluating your self-massage regularly in order to relieve pain and tension in the nape of your neck,
Ask yourself where the massage helped the most, and where not.
Keep experimenting with different positions of the Trigger Fairy, your hands, and the massage ball during the massage, and try to massage each tense spot.
Thank you for reading my site.
I hope your pain will be a thing of the past, soon!