
Neck pain may arise due to muscular tightness in both the neck and upper back, or pinching of the nerves emanating from the cervical vertebrae. Joint disruption in the neck creates pain, as does joint disruption in the upper back.
The head is supported by the lower neck and upper back, and it is these areas that commonly cause neck pain. The top three joints in the neck allow for most movement of the neck and head. The lower joints in the neck and those of the upper back create a supportive structure for the head to sit on. If this support system is affected adversely, then the muscles in the area will tighten, leading to neck pain.
Neck pain affects about 5% of the global population as of 2010.
- Stretch Out a Stiff Neck. A few times a day, give your neck a little rest and relaxation. …
- Alternate Ice and Heat for Neck Pain Relief. …
- Get a Relaxing Massage. …
- Use Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers. …
- Try Stress-Reducing Techniques for Neck Pain.

- Keep your head squarely over your shoulders and your back straight.
- Slowly turn your head to the right until you feel a stretch in the side of your neck and shoulder.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, and then slowly turn your head forward again.
- Repeat on your left side. Do up to 10 sets.
- Lower your shoulders away from your ears. Straighten your neck and back.
- Locate the painful areas on your neck. Press firmly with your fingers.
- Gently move your fingers in circular motions. Repeat in the opposite direction.
- Continue for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Radiating pain in both arms or legs (myelopathic pain)
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in arms or legs.
- Problems with balance or coordination.
- Loss of bowel or bladder control.
- Unintended weight loss.
- Fever or chills.
Most of us have suffered a stiff neck, and neck pain can last for days, weeks, months, and even years. The fourth leading cause of disability in the United States is neck pain affects almost 30% of Americans. And, while about half of those cases of acute neck pain will resolve, almost 50% will have long-term pain to some degree.
- Tell your therapist about any specific conditions or medications that you may be taking. …
- Share if you feel uncomfortable with bolster placement, neck pressure when you are face down in the face cradle, and overall pressure during a massage.
- Ask your massage therapist to go see a movie / come to your house / etc. …
- Excessive noises. …
- Comment on our looks/attractiveness. …
- Poke your head out of the room to let us know you’re ready. …
- Start undressing while we are still in the room. …
- Touch us.
- Stretch Out a Stiff Neck. A few times a day, give your neck a little rest and relaxation. …
- Alternate Ice and Heat for Neck Pain Relief. …
- Get a Relaxing Massage. …
- Use Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers. …
- Try Stress-Reducing Techniques for Neck Pain.
- Sharp pain in the arm.
- Pain in the shoulder.
- A feeling of numbness or pins and needles in the arm.
- Weakness of the arm.
- Worsening pain when you move your neck or turn your head
This improves blood circulation in the painful or stiff areas. Heat therapy may increase flexibility and reduce muscle tightness by warming up muscles and other soft tissues. For chronic neck pain and stiffness, applying heat therapy can be a relatively inexpensive and convenient way to get some relief.
Hydrotherapy is another great remedy for neck pain, which can be easily done while taking a shower. The force of water reduces pain and soreness in the neck. You just have to target the area of pain with warm water first for three to four minutes.
When you give yourself a massage, it’s impossible to completely unwind. Your brain has to actively calculate your next movement, and your body has to perform the movement. That means, no matter how hard you try, you won’t truly reach a deep state of relaxation.
- Fever. Anytime you have a fever, whether, from a cold, the flu, or some other infection, you should not get a massage. …
- Contagious Diseases. …
- Blood Clots. …
- Pregnancy. …
- Kidney Conditions or Liver Conditions. …
- Cancer. …
- Inflammation. …
- Uncontrolled Hypertension.
A slow metabolism burns only a few calories, which means more fat gets stored in your body resulting in weight gain. On the other hand, increased metabolism means increased energy consumption by your body, helping you burn some extra calories. Massage improves blood circulation.
- Not Drinking Enough Water. After massage therapy, decreasing your water intake after the massage therapy is not ideal. …
- Take A Shower Immediately. …
- Taking Hot Shower. …
- Eating A Large Meal. …
- Drinking Coffee. …
- Drinking Alcohol. …
- Doing Strenuous Exercise or Activities. …
- Stressing Yourself Out.
- Effleurage-Circular stroking movements.
- Petrissage-Kneading movements.
- Friction-Rubbing Strokes.
- Vibration-Shaking movements to loosen the body.
- Tapotement-Tapping
Acute Neck Pain
Acute bouts of neck pain can be brought on by bending over a desk for long hours, poor standing posture, poor ergonomics (placement of computer monitor and keyboard), sleeping in awkward positions, twisting or turning the neck, sprains, and strains, and jarring it in an accident or while exercising.
Conditions That Affect Neck Pain
Certain conditions also affect neck pain such as fibromyalgia, spinal stenosis (narrow spinal canal), or cervical arthritis. Car accidents may cause whiplash, which may take months – even years – to resolve and may in some cases lead to a permanent condition. Ruptured disks and vertebral fractures may also result in more serious causes of neck pain.
Forward Head and Text-Neck
Two conditions that have become extremely common are forward head posture and text-neck, both a result of too many hours looking at our computer and phone screens. A forward head is a condition where the head is forward on the spine, causing pain in the neck and down the arms. As a rule, for every inch, the head moves forward from a neutral position, and the pressure on the neck vertebrae and muscles increases by about 10 pounds. Strengthening the muscles that retract the neck such as the lower cervical extensors and upper cervical flexors along with stretching the sternocleidomastoid, scalene muscles and splenius capitis will help to correct this forward posture, reducing pain in the neck and pain and numbness down the arms.
The human head weighs about 10 to 12 pounds. When the head is in a neutral position, that weight can be supported by the neck muscles, but when the head is 30 degrees forward, the weight on those neck muscles increases to about 40 pounds. When the head is held forward 60 degrees, that weight increases to about 60 pounds pressure on the neck muscles. When we hold this position for any length of time, we create a repetitive use injury for our neck muscles, which is commonly called text-neck (often a result of using our phones too much). Tilting the head forward for as little as 2 to 4 hours per day has been shown to cause significant damage – even resulting in the need for spinal surgery.
Massage, Muscular Tension, and Trigger Points
Forward head and text-neck are both conditions that cause significant muscular tension in the neck and shoulders, which can result in the development of trigger points. Trigger points in the upper back muscles typically result in neck pain, while trigger points in the neck usually result in headaches.
When treating a client with a forwarding head position or text neck, the first step is to relax and lengthen the muscles that are involved in pulling the head forward. In order for the neck to move back into a neutral position, the shoulders must be back in a neutral position and not rounded forward. Working the pectoralis muscles to release and lengthen muscle fibers while stretching the muscle allows the shoulders to move back. Similarly, stretching and lengthening the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and scalene muscles allows the head to return to a neutral position.
Once the head is able to return to a more neutral posture, we can address tight muscle fibers and trigger points in the trapezius and levator scapula, both of which commonly result in neck pain. Splenius capitis and semispinalis capitis may also house trigger points and have no doubt been overstretched, and are most likely in need of attention.
When working in pectoralis muscles and upper back, using deep friction and effleurage strokes creates flushing of the muscle, bringing in fresh blood flow and with it fresh oxygenation that releases trigger points and benefits the muscle in relaxing and lengthening. Working on the neck, however, requires a more gentle touch. When working on the neck, it is imperative that pressure be added slowly in order to allow the client and the therapist time to react. It is also imperative that the therapist review the anatomy of delicate cervical structures, including vertebrae, veins, and nerves so as not to apply pressure that will cause unnecessary pain or cause damage.
Craniosacral Therapy and Neck Pain
In fact, one modality of massage that has been shown to greatly reduce neck pain in clients is craniosacral therapy. Designed with the idea that the cranium (skull), spinal cord (vertebrae), and sacrum are all connected and related, cranial-sacral offers a gentle approach to working the head, neck, spine, and lumbar areas. Using about 5 grams of pressure (the weight of a nickel), practitioners release muscle restrictions and allow for unwinding or a release of muscle tension in the areas being treated.
Craniosacral Therapy was developed by Osteopath William Sutherland to work with the whole person and the body’s own self-regulatory and self-healing systems, with consideration of the anatomy involved.
Trauma (physical and emotional) and modern life (with all its stresses); often triggers fight or flight responses; or defensive strategies and patterns of tension. These can be hard to let go of and can leave us in a partially activated state; with areas of tension, pain, and a variety of conditions. If these states remain ‘held’ they can lead to various long-term effects including chronic pain and fatigue.
The profound relaxation often reported during Craniosacral Therapy; allows the body to unwind and come out of these activated states (partially using the parasympathetic nervous system, at its designated task). As the systems in the body are able to flow more freely, the body’s own healing processes are able to work more effectively with gentle support from the practitioner.
In this way, all sorts of different traumas, however long-held, can have an opportunity to heal themselves whether felt in body, mind, or spirit and we can become more present with ourselves.
Swedish Massage and Muscle Tension
Even the moderate effleurage of Swedish massage has been shown to reduce overall muscle tension, lengthen muscle fibers and increase blood flow and function to muscle, reducing pain overall. Massage has been demonstrated to be helpful when neck pain is the result of muscular problems. Studies have shown that more frequent massage is most beneficial: one-hour sessions, 2-3 times per week work best to restore both function and reduce muscle pain, especially during the first 4-6 weeks.
Overall, massage therapy has much to offer those who are suffering from neck pain. A practitioner who knows the precautions and anatomy is comfortable with the techniques and understands the functional aspects of neck movement and muscle can offer real relief to many clients who are suffering from acute and even long-term neck pain.
Swedish massage is the most traditional form of Western massage, and for many in the United States, it’s the image associated with massage. Swedish massage, or classic massage as it is called in some countries, is a relatively gentle massage form focused on the body’s superficial layers. It is provided to promote general relaxation and well-being and sometimes for relief of symptoms associated with health conditions. Swedish massage is known to promote circulation. Among the areas of research: is the potential of massage to improve blood pressure and other vital signs. In short, it’s gaining a reputation as more than just a stress-buster.
There are five basic strokes: effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, friction, and vibration. Petrissage refers to kneading motions, effleurage to stroking – the massage technique one may associate most strongly with Swedish massage and with the accompanying relaxation.
Swedish massage is generally practiced with the client or patient lying on a massage table with draping in place of outer clothing. Massage therapists use massage oils and may incorporate elements such as aroma to contribute to relaxation and wellness. Swedish massage may be practiced in spa settings or clinical settings. Many massage therapists provide sessions in their own homes and/ or travel to clients’ homes. Franchises are another common setting. Sessions are often an hour in length. Sessions performed for health benefits may be significantly shorter.
Many massage techniques are based in part on Swedish massage, so it provides a foundation even if career goals will require multiple modalities. For example, from Swedish massage, one may progress to deeper massage focused on the muscles of different parts of the body. Chair massage can use the Swedish massage technique, adapted for practicality. Prenatal massage is often based on Swedish massage but is designed to maximize symptom relief as well as ensure safety.
*Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.
Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a diagnosis, treatment, or prescription of any kind. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader. These statements are not expressions of legal opinion relative to the scope of practice, medical diagnosis, or medical advice, nor do they represent an endorsement of any product, company, or specific massage therapy technique, modality, or approach. All trademarks, registered trademarks, brand names, registered brand names, logos, and company logos referenced in this post are the property of their owners.