A frequent complaint I treat in the office is neck pain. Pain, decreased range of motion (ROM), and often headaches accompany neck pain.
Sometimes the person 'slept wrong'. Sometimes the pain is related to an old injury, like whiplash. Sometimes the pain is related to tension headaches.
So, does massage help with neck pain?
A clinical study conducted in 2010 suggests that, yes, massage therapy is effective in reducing neck pain. The results found "more participants randomized to massage experienced clinically significant improvement."
The head and neck contain many nerve endings, blood vessels and glands. Work here needs to be precise and exact to be effective. I work with you during the session to pinpoint which muscle(s) is causing your specific pain and then work to relax that muscle. I’ve had success with decreasing the frequency and severity of headaches, increasing range of motion, and relaxing the neck after whiplash injuries (patient needs to be 72 hours post whiplash incident before beginning treatment).
If you’ve been experiencing neck pain, massage therapy could be beneficial for you!