Neck pain is characterized by all those pains that affect the muscles of the neck and head, often radiating towards the upper part of the arms and back .

What is commonly called a stiff neck and which affects the upper back and neck is nothing more than the result of many concomitant factors.

The primary cause is connected to wrong positions of the spine and head , muscle tension and invasions from cold and humidity, but it can also be due to general inflammatory states concomitant with an unbalanced lifestyle, characterized by an acidifying diet and a lack of rest. and excess or little physical activity.

Neck pain can also be a direct consequence of tensions that are discharged from the psyche on the body to find a manifestation and an outlet.

When and how to do the neck massage

The pain due to neck pain can have various degrees, ranging from slight discomfort in the rotation movements of the neck, up to immobility with persistent pain, nausea and dizziness.

Neck massage is very useful but must take into account the degree of pain experienced.

Just placing your hands on the painful part , without using pressure, can give relief: the temperature of the hands is transmitted to the painful part in a natural and light way.

The main objective of cervical massage is to relax the muscles which, when they are tense and inflamed, are the cause of the pain.

It is necessary to start from the most distal parts, and then proceed towards the points of greatest pain and contracture.

You can start by gently kneading and stretching the arms , going up along the shoulders and dwelling on the trapezes, acting with light and progressive maneuvers, kneading the muscles. To the touch it is easy to perceive where the muscles are particularly tense and contracted, detecting as small balls or overlapping of the fibers.

When the area has warmed up, it is possible to go deeper by increasing the pressure , always respecting the pain thresholds of the person receiving the massage. In this area, whose musculature is large, the whole hand is used, especially the palms.

A maneuver that gives a lot of relief and allows you to relax the shoulders and arms consists in acting with the bones of the forearm : you position yourself behind the shoulders of the seated person, remaining upright, and bend over by applying a slight pressure with the forearm bones on trapezes, as if leaning on them.

After loosening the shoulders, we move on to the nape and neck area , which is particularly delicate and painful. The massage consists of a light kneading of the muscles, avoiding pressing on the vertebrae. In this area the massage is done with the fingers, lightly pinching with the thumb, index and middle finger. The points between the nape and the neck are then pressed, at the base of the skull: these reflex points are treated in acupuncture and shiatsu to unblock the neck.

If the pain permits, it is finally proceeded by rotating the head to the side and forward , or by bending the head as if the ears were to touch the shoulders, first on one side and then on the other.

The massage can be performed sitting or lying on a common massage table or futon.

For massages to the cervical area, essential oils can be used to relax and warm; the most common is the essential oil of lavender , which can be rubbed on the hands and then on the shoulders, taking care to dilute it in a base oil to the extent of two drops in 30 ml.

Rosemary essential oil and basil essential oil can also be added and used to knead the shoulder and upper back area.

Symptoms of poor posture

Cervical: other tips against pain

Rest is the first natural remedy for this condition which can lead, in the most acute cases, to the inability to move the neck, head and arms and which results in immobility as well as severe pain.

It is therefore necessary to maintain a correct position during rest , without using a pillow or using soft and flat pillows, made of natural material and able to support the neck without bending it; the back and neck should, in fact , be in line with each other .

It is then necessary to disinfect the area, dissolving the muscular tensions of the neck, head, shoulders and back : the core pillows allow to bring dry heat that absorbs the penetration of cold and humid energy that often accompanies neck pain, giving relief.

However, the best help to solve the problems due to neck pain is the massage of the neck area .