By Laurice Johnson, LMT |
“My neck hurts and my shoulders feel like large rocks. I feel so frustrated that those of us who have some common sense aren’t allowed to use it! It is stressing me out about the future and my neck is already tight from working at the computer.” Do these words sound familiar? In our modern world, stress, and the tension it creates, is one of the most common ailments. Here are a few tips that can help.
There are 3 major components in this cycle – Pain, which comes from Tension, which is caused by Stress. Let’s address them, one at a time:
1. Pain – Put the pinch on pain! Take your left hand and reach over your head until your thumb and fingers cup over the back of your neck. Just allow the natural flow of the finger tips to glide till they “pinch off.” Covering the pain, grip and hold the pressure constant as you lean your head into the grip, then slowly lift your head back up to straight. Remember to breathe. Repeat 3-7 times minimum.
For general pain, cold therapy can also be a very effective remedy. The cold reduces inflammation and blocks pain signals in the nerves. The liver doesn’t have to process anything – you just reduce your pain, up to 100%!
2. Tension – Stretching is one of the best ways to combat the muscle tension that causes pain. The Neck Roll, though simple, works wonders! Don’t hurry – the idea is to relax! At each point, hold and breathe into the stretch. When you get back to where you started, do another round, in the other direction.
Take a moment and feel how much more relaxed you are through the neck and shoulders. This routine can be done in about 10 minutes, almost anywhere! Do this twice a day for a week, and see how much better you feel!
3. Stress – Stress is the number one cause of muscular tension, followed closely by exertion. How can you relieve the stress of everyday life? One way is by sharing! Taking even 5 minutes when you arrive home to talk about the day’s events can seem counter-productive, as you have dinner to make and night routines to do. But taking that time to vent the frustrations of the day will go a long way toward releasing that tension. Make an appointment to share a few moments of listening and caring. Make it part of your routine – take turns giving each other quick neck and shoulder rubs. The one being rubbed gets to gripe about whatever got on their nerves that day. Then switch!
The important thing to remember about a gripe session, whether in person or on the phone, is to end it on a positive note – find at least one good thing that happened that day! A smile from a stranger or a quiet moment of satisfaction at a job completed – something! Remembering to look for the good in life is a habit we can all afford to form!
References:
1. Massage Therapy as CAM – The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) (2006-09-01) nccam.nih.gov/health/massage/
2. Effective Tension Headache Relief – New Study Shows Massage Can Help Chronic Tension Headache Pain self-massage.suite101.com/article.cfm/effective_tension_headache_relief
3. Stress Management and Reduction and Tension Relief – www.associatedcontent.com/article/14312/stress_management_and_reduction_and.html
For more info, contact Laurice Johnson,(775) 828-0828, specializing in core energetics, aromatherapy and reiki massage, livenowwow@hotmail.com.
