A Pain in the Neck
Neck pain issues are a common complaint I see in the Acupuncture by Andrea clinic. “Do you know the human head weighs eight pounds?” This quote from the 1996 film Jerry Maguire became an unavoidable and intriguing catch phrase. Well, the human head actually weighs closer to 11 pounds and it is held upright and stable by about 20 muscles. These muscles have a big job to do in holding up our heavy craniums, and sometimes they have unexpected and painful failures.
What Causes Neck Pain?
There are several common causes of neck pain. Anything that compromises nerves and major blood pathways like the carotid and the jugular, will result in pain. Tightness and tension in the neck and shoulders may be a result of whiplash from a car accident, constant upper body tensing with stress, or as a result of staring at the computer for hours each day with a misaligned spine, head and jaw. Gritting or grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw causes the cranial and facial muscles to become over-used, resulting in the muscles tightening excessively. Repetitive stress and over usage for prolonged periods will keep the muscles locked, compromise proper blood flow and lessen the normal range of motion and movement of your neck and head. Most people live with symptoms of compromised neck and shoulder muscles until it disrupts normal daily activities, disturbs sleep and makes a bad mood a normal way of life.
Neck tightness and pain can also be caused by compromised organ health. High blood pressure, bladder and kidney issues, blood deficiency in the liver (when blood is not distributed equally and efficiently to all muscles), and digestive distress creating heat, are all related to injured or compromised tendons, ligaments, muscles and nerves in the neck and shoulders.
Neck pain and stiffness also occur seasonally when the days are cooler and more people are under the weather—literally. Along with fever, chills and headaches, many people develop a stiff neck and shoulder pain when sick with a cold or flu.
Pain resulting from any of these activities and health issues can be felt throughout various areas of the neck. You may experience occipital pain at the bottom of the skull, or the side of the neck in the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Pain that is felt on both sides of the neck that radiates down to the shoulder blades or down the arms is another common complaint. Each of these pain points is understood by an acupuncturist to originate from different causes and will need to be treated through a variety of acupuncture points and treatment plans.
Relieving Neck Pain
A correct diagnosis and treatment of neck pain is based on holistically understanding the health of the patient, and carefully choosing the corresponding points that will relieve discomfort. Once the acupuncturist has determined which meridians and organ systems are causing your pain, needles will be inserted into the corresponding areas.
The main cause of pain as understood through Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), principles is lack of blood flow. The treatment process is based on choosing the right points to send signals to the brain which the brain disseminates to the responsible area or organ. Some needles will be placed in areas that signal the body to send more blood to the affected area for pain relief, while other needle points will send signals to the tight tendons and ligaments allowing them to release their grip and dispel built up lactic acid.
In TCM we often treat a health issue not directly on that area of the body affected, but through the concept of similarity. The way the neck moves is very similar to that of wrist and ankle movements. Points on those areas of the limbs along with points around the neck can be utilized to reduce or eliminate neck pain.
Seeking treatment as soon as possible after pain begins is important to relieve pain and speed your recovery. If you have had whiplash from a car accident, as soon as you are mobile, treatment is recommended. For this issue, needles will not be used for the back of the neck which has been damaged and should be allowed to recuperate. Soft, light cupping to remove inflammation may be the first step in your treatment plan. Within several weeks, more frequent treatment is recommended to get the blood flowing to the strained tissue.
I have seen many patients seeking immediate treatment for “fallen pillow syndrome”, when they feel as if their head dropped off the pillow and they slept the night away in an unnatural position, waking to a kink in their neck and the inability to move their head. This may seem like an overnight occurrence, but there has probably been ongoing tightness and reduced range of motion that the patient has ignored or been too busy to get treated. The lymphatic system is usually involved in this complaint, with clogged lymph nodes not allowing for proper cleansing of the afflicted neck and shoulder area. This may occur after a sickness when the lymphatic system has become overworked and dehydrated, and your immune system has been compromised.
The acupuncture treatment for this type of neck pain will move the lung energy and stagnant blood and lymph from the neck points with needles placed in the muscular mound on the thumb. When these points are needled, patients feel like they have taken a deep breath, and deeply exhaled. Relaxation and flow follows.
Along with acupuncture, for most patients I recommend stretching and deep breathing to help loosen the body and assist with neck pain relief. Deep breathing moves the blood and body fluid which has caused stagnation and pain. Deep breathing is also relaxing and stress relieving.
Stretching can be done at home on your schedule and as needed, or it can take the form of a class like yoga, qi gong or tai chi. Some people enjoy stretch “labs” that assist with movement. Many apps are also available that can help you get started if you are new to this type of body movement.
Herbal Pain Relief
Recurring, or chronic pain, and acute pain caused by the onset of an illness or trauma, are treated with different herbal formulas. The Neck and Shoulder formulas from Evergreen Herbs available at Acupuncture by Andrea include Neck and Shoulder AC which relieves pain through increased blood circulation and reduction of inflammation. Neck and Shoulder CR works with the liver and kidney yin to boost blood, moisturize, and support tendon and ligament health.
If neck and shoulder pain develops along with a seasonal cold, the constricted muscles need to be released. Ge Gen Tang has been used for centuries to promote sweating and release the muscles. Warming herbs loosen and hydrate muscles to decrease stiffness.
You don’t have to live with neck pain.
Acupuncture and herbal medicine can relieve your symptoms and treat your overall health, putting you back on the path of unrestricted movement and living your healthiest life.