Massage Therapy for Neck Pain

A stiff neck is a common hindrance of everyday life. Those who are dealing with a stiff neck understand how painful it can be - it can last a few hours, days, weeks, months and even years!

     

           

Typical causes of neck pain are hunching your shoulders over a keyboard or work surface or even stagnant standing jobs. Posture can be another factor. Other causes include arthritis, a pinched nerve, whiplash, muscle strain or even degenerative diseases. Whether it's chronic or lasts only a short time, massage can help provide relief from constant neck pain.

Patients that suffer neck pain majorly seek medicinal treatment to ease their pain. However, the lifetime prevalence of constant neck pain ranges from 40 to 70 percent. You can't let neck pain become a constant problem - regular massage is one of the most effective natural cures to ease pain and stiffness in neck, whilst also helping prevent the occurrence of a relapse.   

Often, neck pain partners with back pain, and symptoms are quite similar. It is a common misconception that neck pain is related to abnormal cervical spine curvature. In fact, sprain and strain- injury to ligaments of the spine and spinal muscles are the most common causes of neck pain. Other causes of neck pain include pinched nerves or a variety of structural or degenerative spinal disorders. The most common symptoms of neck pain include muscle spasms, muscle discomfort, stiffness, limitation of movement and headaches.

Certain conditions also affect neck pain, such as fibromyalgia, spinal stenosis 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 cases of neck pain.

Massage is a natural alternative to the prescription medication commonly used for treating the pain and stiffness in the neck. Massage is a popular therapy used to relieve muscle tension, spasms, inflammation, fluid retention, aches, stiffness, and pain. Other benefits include improved circulation, general flexibility, range of motion, and increased tissue elasticity.

Getting a massage regularly helps improve posture problems. As we all know, poor posture places pressure on our lower back and can cause severe pain in the neck and back. If you sit in an office chair for hours or have a standing job, aches and pain in the neck area and lower back are common. Massage therapy can help relieve pain in the neck, improve posture and increase mobility.