Massage and Neck Pain Treatment Chandler AZ
Massage therapy can provide relief for neck pain, especially in people
with chronic tightness and soreness in their neck and shoulders. We
find many people who carry their stress in their neck and shoulders.
They begin to contract their neck muscles and tense their shoulders.
Some people describe their shoulders moving towards their ears, which
gets worse with stress or activity. Increased physical activity can
make it worse such as taking care of the kids, lifting, reaching,
or pulling. Driving or sitting for long hours at the computer can
really aggravate neck and shoulder pain.
Increasing neck pain is very prevalent in people with "knots"
in their muscles that never go away. These knots are areas of muscle
that has become injured and "glued" together. The knots
are actually scar tissue that prevent muscles from moving and sliding
like it should. Over time the amount of scar tissue accumulates
and the knots get bigger. Eventually, the knots become a weak point,
and any amount of excessive activity aggravates these spots.
Muscle and Scar Tissue Pain
People tend to describe knots as the source of their pain. If they
have a hard week or two of childcare, work, or house work those knots
begin to get sore. With increased stress muscle pain begins to radiate
from the knots to the head or shoulder. In some people the pain goes
down their back.
The pain is decreased with icing and massage. Many people constantly
ask their spouses to rub their shoulders. With a little rest and
ice the pain decreases. However, the shoulder pain can quickly begin
again with increased activity.
The shortened knots of muscle affect joints too. Because the affected
muscle is functionally shorter and pulling on the joints, it increases
the stress on the joints. Many people experience neck pain or headaches
as a result of muscle knots. The shortened muscle changes normal
movements and structural stress loads, which aggravates and injures
joints. Many tension headaches or migraine headaches develop this
way.
Massage Therapy Decreases Neck & Shoulder Pain
Massage therapy is effective at decreasing muscle spasms and decreasing
the size of the knots. Therapeutic massage can help break up scar
tissue and muscle adhesions. This is why massage is recommended treatment
for muscle pain, neck pain, back pain, and low back pain.
A trained and experienced therapist will work on the neck and shoulder
muscles. Often those knots begin affecting how the scapula (shoulder
blade) moves. A really good therapist will work on improving scapular
motion and all the muscles associated with its movement. This would
include the pectoral muscles of the chest that attach to the front
of the scapula.
Massage therapy is an effective treatment for neck pain. It helps
decrease muscle spasms and break up scar tissue that has accumulated
from daily stress and strain. Some people feel a decrease in headache
symptoms within a visit or two.
Look for trained therapists who are experienced in working with
these types of injuries. Not all therapists are equal in this regard.
Click here to read more information on Massage Therapy
in Chandler.
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