A stiff neck, neck pain, tension in the cervical spine and shoulders: Almost every adult has suffered from pain in the side of the neck and shoulders. After the well-known back pain, neck pain is probably the second most common cause of musculoskeletal complaints. Lateral pain in the neck and shoulder is ubiquitous. Nevertheless, many sufferers ask themselves: Where does my neck pain come from and how can I relieve my pain? In this article, we'll give you some insights into the causes of lateral neck and shoulder pain. We also reveal some tips and tricks for natural pain relief.
Content
1. symptoms of neck pain: how lateral pain in the neck and shoulder manifests itself
2. general causes of neck pain
3. common and rare causes of pain on the side of the neck and shoulder
4. release pulling lateral pain in the neck and shoulder
6. fight lateral pain in the neck and shoulder with an acupressure mat
8. exercises to prevent lateral neck and shoulder pain
Symptoms: This is how pain at the side of the neck and shoulder becomes noticeable
The following symptoms may occur with neck pain:
Tension in the shoulder and neck area: The neck connects the head to the torso. Many muscles, nerves and fasciae run from the head to the shoulders and back. As a result, shoulder and neck pain can also radiate to other parts of the body.
Tense cervical vertebrae: The cervical spine and the muscles up to the shoulders can be noticeably tense. If the neck muscle hurts, the muscular-fascial tension is often too high and triggers a sensation of pain.
Sore muscles in the neck: Muscle hardening in the neck area is often caused by excessive strain. Sudden or excessive exercise is an example of this.
Pain in the neck and back of the head: Burning or stabbing pain in the neck muscles usually indicates a hardening or overloading of the muscles.
Drawing pain at the side of the neck: A stiff neck usually restricts the freedom of movement of the head. The stiffness is generally caused by lying down incorrectly or frequent incorrect postures.
Dizziness or migraines: High muscular-fascial tension, i.e. neck pain, affects the entire head. This can trigger migraines, dizziness or even eye pain.
Tension in the jaw: The neck is connected to the jaw via muscles and fascia. Neck pain can easily spread to the face or jaw.
Causes of neck tension
Neck tension is usually caused by overuse or incorrect use of the muscles. However, cold draughts and lying down incorrectly are also common causes of side neck and shoulder pain. The neck area around the cervical spine consists of different muscle groups and a large number of nerves, as well as seven vertebrae. Accordingly, neck pain is very rarely limited to the neck area. It is much more common for the pain to be localized to the side of the neck and shoulders. The pain can extend into the arm, cause numbness in the fingers and trigger headaches. Sometimes the head can only be moved to the left, right, up or down to a limited extent.
Stiff neck and tense neck muscles
The most common cause of lateral pain in the neck and shoulder is muscle tension caused by unfavorable head posture. This is because incorrect or excessive strain exceeds the holding capacity of the muscles in the long term. Ultimately, the muscles harden and cause pain. In such situations, you probably instinctively adopt a protective posture to minimize the pain. But this is exactly what increases the tension.
If such behaviors accumulate, chronic tension and signs of wear can develop in the joints and vertebrae. This drives further incorrect stresses and can lead to chronic pain.
Common causes of shoulder neck pain
- Neck pain due to very frequent cell phone use or incorrectly adjusted screen height
- Psychological factors
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, e.g. complaints of the intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies
- Dental problems or a dysfunction in the masticatory system, causing jaw misalignment.
- chronic pain diseases
- Injuries such as fractured vertebrae or pulled muscles
- Diseases or complaints in the internal organs
Rare causes of pain in the side of the neck and shoulder
- Rheumatism
- Infection of the vertebrae, intervertebral discs or soft tissues of the neck
- Osteoporosis
- Meningitis, or meningitis of the brain
- Tumor diseases
- Tension headache and migraine
Pulling pain on the side of the neck and shoulder: release neck tension
Hardening and tension in the neck area are common symptoms of pain in the cervical spine and shoulder girdle. Such neck pain is not uncommon with lack of exercise or predominantly sedentary occupations. But also too much stress and lack of rest can cause neck pain or neck tension. The hardening often radiates into the shoulder region and the upper area of the thoracic spine. Sometimes the discomfort is felt only when pressure is applied to the hardened muscles. Typical symptoms are neck-shoulder pain, cervical muscle pain and lateral tension in the neck and shoulder.
Self check: How to check if you have neck tension
Run your hands over the side of the neck and the back of the shoulder. As soon as you apply light pressure, you can feel the superficial muscles. In case of neck tension, the muscles are painful or hardened. A careful massage, which is usually considered pleasant, allows you to locate the hardened areas and muscle strands.
Triggering situation for pain on the side of the neck and shoulder
Sitting position: The neck muscles tend to become tense when working in a predominantly seated position.
Draughts: An open window or cold wind (especially after physical exertion) can trigger neck pain.
Incorrect training: Careless and excessively heavy training with dumbbells or lifting heavy objects can cause pain in the side of the neck and shoulder.
Muscle strain: If you suddenly overload your muscles, this can trigger a strain (overstretching), which in turn triggers automatic muscle tension to prevent further injury.
Relieve lateral neck and shoulder pain with self-help exercises
Stretching and movement exercises help the muscle to release the tension and eliminate or remove the harmful substances accumulated due to the metabolic congestion. This promotes blood circulation and helps to relax the muscles.
Pain in the cervical spine: what to do when the cervical vertebra is tense?
When turning and tilting the head, a great many muscles are active. In order for the desired movement to take place, the vertebral bodies of the cervical spine and the upper thoracic spine rotate and tilt against each other. If you have disorders and complaints in the movement system, you will immediately notice which direction of movement is restricted. Typical symptoms are cervical spine pain, cervical vertebrae tension, neck pain, tension in the neck, neck muscle pain, tense neck muscles and a pinched nerve in the neck.
Self-check: How to check muscle tension in the neck and spine
Sit on a chair so that the upper body is straight. Slowly turn your head to the right. Without any noticeable pain, you can turn your head so far that you can look to the side without any problems. You can perform the same test for the left side. If you can turn your head less than 75°, it is already a movement restriction. A slight difference in movement between left and right is natural and no cause for concern.
Possible causes of discomfort and pain in the cervical spine
As with lateral pain in the neck and shoulder, cervical sprain is due to overuse, exposure to wind and cold, and poor posture. The pain usually subsides with repeated stretching and relaxation. The small vertebral joints can be palpated from the outside. The deep-seated muscles of the cervical spine are very sensitive and can hardly be felt with the patient's own hands. They can quickly cramp due to clumsy movements or incorrect lying during the night and cause acute blockages.
Self help exercises
The superficial muscle parts can be relaxed by exercises and heat applications. This also requires special movement exercises to enable a slow and beneficial release of the blockage.
Fight the side pain of the neck and shoulder with acupressure
An acupressure mat is an effective way to relieve pain caused by shoulder and neck tension. The ShaktiMat in combination with the ShaktiCushion uses the fine tips to stimulate blood circulation and relieve tension and neck pain.
The ShaktiMat was developed by a massage therapist and the concept is based on the findings of Indian science. The focus is on increased well-being for body, mind and soul. The term Shakti comes from Indian Sanskrit and stands for female life force, energy and strength. The inspiration behind the ShaktiMat is simple: if you relax on a physical level and release blockages, this leads to more energy and vitality in everyday life.
Lateral pain of the neck and shoulder arises from our general living conditions
On the back of the ShaktiMat you will find the Sri Yantra, a kind of geometric mandala. It stands for the unity of body and mind and for the unity of cosmos and humans. This describes the influence of us humans on the environment and the influence of the environment on the same. As an example, the everyday and one-sided staring at a computer screen, which triggers neck pain and shoulder tension in many people. Under certain circumstances, this can also lead to headaches and other health complaints.
Use acupressure perfectly to relieve neck pain
Ideally, you should use both the ShaktiMat and the ShaktiPillow to combat side pain in your neck and shoulders. Alternatively, you can simply roll up the ShaktiMat and use it as a pillow.
Sit with the sitting bones at the lower edge of the mat and place the tip of the foot or the entire sole of the foot. Inhale and slowly exhale, then place your hands next to your hips. Now slowly roll down onto your mat with your lower back. Now move your heels closer to your hips and extend your arms to the sides of your body. Remain in this position for several minutes. Ideally, you can do 20 minutes in this position.
As a variation, you can turn your head to the right side - perhaps even until your ear is resting on the Shakti cushion. Remain in this position for up to 20 minutes. You can then slowly move your head back to the starting position and then lean your head to the left side. Remain on the left side for about 20 minutes.
Tips: After about five minutes, the pain will subside. It is therefore worth persevering and trying to stay in each position for up to 20 minutes. For additional relaxation factors, you can meditate beforehand or simply play your favorite music.
In this video we will show you how to properly use the ShaktiMat for shoulder and neck pain.
4 tips to prevent neck pain
If you experience lateral pain in your neck and shoulder, you can prevent the tension with the help of simple movements. Our tips are easy to integrate into your daily routine and will help you reduce neck pain.
Tip 1 - Loosen your shoulders: raise your shoulders as you inhale and drop them again as you exhale. You should repeat this exercise at least five times. There is no harm in doing this exercise several times a day.
Tip 2 - Swing your arms: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and swing your arms to the right and left. Try not to swing your shoulders and upper body. It is best to swing your arms at least ten times.
Tip 3 - Neck stretch: Stand up straight and gently bend your head to the left while dangling your right hand downwards until you feel a stretch. Hold this position for about ten seconds. Slowly return to the starting position and perform the exercise on the other side.
Tip 4 - Circle your shoulders: Loosen shoulder tension by circling your shoulders. Slowly or gently circle your shoulders forwards and then backwards.
Release neck and shoulder tension: With these exercises it works safely
To relieve lateral neck and shoulder pain, everyday exercise is very beneficial. Exercise promotes general muscle strengthening and prevents neck pain or shoulder tension. We would like to share the following tips and tricks with you for pain and tension prevention:
Change your position regularly
Anyone who works in a seated position should stand up, stretch and walk a few meters every 30 to 60 minutes. This prevents long-term poor posture.
Relaxation exercises
Regularly circling your head and swinging your shoulders and arms loosens tense muscles. It also helps if you slowly place your head forward on your chest and then on your neck. You should integrate these simple exercises into your daily routine and repeat them several times.
Massages
Gentle self-massages can relieve tension and neck pain. Alternatively, you can also have a massage or use a massage device. Gentle and stronger pressure on the muscles stimulates blood circulation and relieves superficial cramps and tension.
Good Pillow
Lateral pain in the shoulder and neck is often caused by lying incorrectly. Particularly when sleeping, you don't notice the misalignment and wake up in the morning with severe neck pain. A special neck pillow and back-friendly mattresses can be a sensible investment for many people.
Keep your neck warm and avoid draughts
A red light, cherry stone cushion or heat plaster can help with pain in the side of the neck and shoulder. A warm bath can also help to relax the muscles. Avoid cold draughts, especially after physical exertion.