3 Things Not To Do When You Have Neck Pain
1. (Don’t) Stretch the back of your neck – Unless you are getting neck pain in the front of your neck (which is rarely the case), you shouldn’t be stretching the muscles in the back of your neck.. This stretch can feel good at first, but you are lengthening muscles and fascia that are already having a hard time holding your head from jutting forward even more.
In actuality, it’s usually the front of your neck that needs lengthening (like doing fish pose in yoga). It’s quite difficult to stretch the front of the neck, but manual myofascial techniques have proven to lengthen this area and provide long-term pain relief. This is where I come in.
Here’s a testimonial from a client who received myofascial techniques (along with trigger point therapy) for her neck pain:
“I went to Leah with a tight back and shoulders and was getting a migraine. I am very picky about massage. I like a deep massage andno talking. Leah got all of my spots and my headache went away and I had more mobility in my neck. I was so relaxed I decided to go again and pretend I was on a vacation! Leah was amazing. She has a healing energy. I highly recommend her.” – Sharon, photographer, 2010
2. (Don’t) Take Advil, Ibuprofen, etc.. – Pain is your body’s indication that something is amiss. Taking anti-inflammatories can help with short term pain relief, but they turn off that brain signal that tells you to stop moving in a certain way that could hurt you. You might potentially injure yourself more (not to mention messing with your digestive system)- this creates a pain cycle. Instead, ask me about how to use a tennis ball to relieve pain instantly- this will not provide long-term relief because it doesn’t address the root issue, but it will help you move around better at that moment.
When neck pain is left untreated (and I’ve seen this numerous times), things like bulging discs, nerve pain, and worsening pain symptoms occur. Then it just takes more time on my table to get sustained pain relief.
My goal is always to get my client out of pain and into a regimen that they can do on their own (so they don’t have to return). If I find someone has to continually come back, and their symptoms are not improving, then I will refer them to a practitioner who I believe can progress the healing process.
3. (Don’t) Push Through The Pain – If it hurts (in a bad way, and you know what I mean) then don’t do that movement. Know that your shoulders are connected to your neck, and if you do something like heavy deadlifts or pullups, you could be exacerbated the issue.
That said, you don’t necessarily want to immobilize your neck either (unless a doctor recommends it or you’ve just suffered an acute injury). Easy, non-forceful movements that don’t cause pain or make your neck any more uncomfortable are good.
I’d be happy to talk more about your specific neck pain issue– if it’s happening currently, or if it is an on and off occurrence. I suffered from whiplash (from choreography no less) over 6 years ago, and I have learned through trial and error how to keep my neck happy and out of pain.
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