The muscles of the neck are very complex and when chronically tight can cause immobility, strain, and FRUSTRATION!
Many problems can arise from tight neck muscles
- Chronic dull pain or sharp pain
- Muscle spasms (the worst!)
- Shoulder blade pain
- Immobility/strain
- Sore shoulders and trapezius muscles
- Headaches
- Sleep issues
This has been the story of my life for the last 5 years. I tried the doctor route and he told me its stress and (surprise…surprise…) prescribed muscle relaxers (which I tore up the paper when I left!). Physical therapy was so-so but never fully targeted the problem and where it was coming from as they figured I had some sort of injury to work through (I never injured my neck).
Fortunately God put in my path a pretty darn good soul who has opened some healing doors for me. I found a Holistic personal trainer who gave me the tools to work on myself and actually FIX the source of the problem. Long story short I am sharing with you 3 of the most effective tools I use everyday to self release my chronic tight neck muscles and FINALLY get relief !
PEANUT
Its the cheapest tool thats for sure! Just take 2 tennis balls and tape them together with sports tape securely. I lay flat on the ground with the peanut behind my neck and (VERY gently) glide it up and down the back of my neck. It fits perfectly in the hard to reach contours of the neck and is a self massage you give yourself to release these muscles. I do it everyday morning and night for a few minutes.
THERA CANE
This tool is a self massaging stick that breaks up tension in hard-to-reach muscles (AKA the sides of the neck and trapezius muscle.) The curved shape makes easy and ideal to apply hard targeted pressure to release super tight muscles. I use this tool sitting down in a chair and putting the top curved shape on the trapezius muscle and gently pulling down holding for about 30 seconds at a time.
FOAM ROLLER
The foam roller is most commonly associated working out back pain but its actually a powerful tool for the neck! Foam rolling the upper thoracic area of the back daily can help release stored up tension, stress, and improve back mobility which is a chain reaction to fixing your neck.
DON’T FORGET The HOLISTIC work…. dig deep and heal from within!
LASTLY and probably the MOST important TOOL I use whenever I have chronic pain is to spend time every day visualizing my healthiest self pain free and what that looks like. I use powerful affirmations such as; I am enjoying mobility in my neck, I am happy to experience flexibility in my neck, I am grateful for my health, etc etc (you can come up with your own). Thoughts become things!
Here is a powerful prayer to recite for anyone dealing with chronic pain. Say it everyday!
God is my healer. NO matter what my body is telling me, I trust God to heal me and bless me with vibrant health and overflowing joy!
Doing your own corrective exercises along with affirmations, having faith in the process, and gratitude can go ALONG way to healing for good! So much of pain and tension is just bound up feelings and stress and no amount of physical therapy or doctor visits can fix whatever it is you are dealing with inside. Acknowledge, accept, address and do the “YOU” work to release pain in your body for good. Believe it or not sometimes this is the missing link to healing chronic pain!
Be Well!
Susie R. 🙂