Many of us experience neck pain at some time or another in our life, especially if we are doing desk or repetitive work. Massage can be a great way to ease neck pain and help manage other symptoms.
What causes neck pain?
The most common cause of neck pain is muscle strain or injury. Injuries can include whiplash, degenerative disc disease, herniated disc, or nerve compression.
Neck pain can also come from common infections like a virus infection of the throat. More serious conditions causing neck pain could be an infection of the spinal bone or meningitis. Also chronic conditions like osteoarthritis or from autoimmune disorders such as fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis could cause neck pain.
However, muscle strain is the most common cause of neck pain. Poor posture in prolonged activities such as sitting at a desk, driving or sleeping with poor neck support. The most common cause of neck pain is muscle strain, over stretched or torn muscle fibres.
Signs and symptoms of neck pain include; aching in the area, stiffness, loss of range or movement, and occasionally numbness or tingling in the hands.
The neck is made up of various structures including the cervical vertebrae that surrounds the spinal cord. The nerves of the head and upper extremities extend from between these vertebrae. The neck is also a hub for lymphatic drainage, with a convergence of lymph nodes and vessels draining through the supraclavicular lymph nodes to be filtered or disposed of by the larger organs. Not to forget the multitude muscles that either support or operate movement the upper back, neck, head and shoulder area.
Most neck muscle strains are alleviated using ice or heat, over-the-counter pain medications, massage and stretching.
How can massage help ease your neck pain?
A remedial massage therapist will assess the location and cause of your pain through conversation of your history, testing your range of movement and identifying what the underlying cause of your pain may be. They may also assess your posture and muscle weaknesses, as well as tension, that could be the cause of your pain. They will also take other stress factors into consideration that could be impacting on your pain.
After assessment your massage therapist will make a plan for the treatment, and for any follow up treatments that you may require. They will then treat you with the use of trigger point therapy, myofascial release, deep tissue massage, stretching techniques such as PNF and possibly dry needling or cupping.
You will be referred to another practitioner if massage is not appropriate. A GP or physiotherapist will assess if you have disc or joint related issues in your neck. You may only need a few appointments with another practitioner before being able to have massage again.
Following the treatment the massage therapist will go through an aftercare plan to speed up your recovery between visits. This might include adjusting your posture at work or home, stretches, foam rolling or using a spiky ball, heat or ice and resting the muscle.
Make a follow up appointment after the initial visit to reassess the injury and make a further plan for your recovery.
ALM Remedial is providing remedial massage and myotherapy to the Yarra Valley and surrounding areas
