Almost everyone has had a pain in their neck or upper shoulders at some point in their lives. It can be achy, burning or just sore. And it can linger for quite some time if unattended to and be a source of tension headaches. Most of us ignore it hoping it will go away.

One of the contributors to neck pain is a muscle called the trapezius. This muscle starts at the base of your skull. Travels outward to the tip of your shoulder blade, and attaching to the spine, it travels midway down the back. Its shape is like a triangle if you are looking at one side of the back. The upper portion of this muscle is responsible for shrugging the shoulders. It is in the upper portion where you also carry your tensions, stress and worries. Sitting at a computer, knitting, sewing, reading and driving for long hours usually increases stress at this muscle.  Lifting an object that is very heavy will usually pull in this muscle as you are straining.

There are many home remedies that can be helpful to ease the pain. If the pain is severe and acute, applying a cold pack to the area for 20 minutes allows the muscle spasm to settle. If it is a dull ache that has been there a while, a moist heating pad for 20 minutes followed by stretching is useful.  Massage is also very beneficial to increase circulation and improve the elasticity of the muscles.

Another important factor in getting this muscle to relax and calm down is sitting or standing with erect posture. What is that? Well, if you are looking at someone’s profile: erect posture is the ear over the shoulder, the shoulder over the hip joint, the hip lined up with knee and the knee lined up with the ankle bone. Often, as we fight to hold ourselves up against gravity, our upper back starts to round, which causes our head to move forward in front of our shoulders. If we are habitually in this posture, the muscles become restricted and strained (causing neck pain) and it becomes difficult to stand tall. The more your spine is out of alignment with poor posture, the greater stress on the muscles and there is more chance of a pain in the neck.

Gentle stretching to the neck can relief pain and also improve mobility. Here are some gentle stretches to try: 1. Shoulder rolls: Gently roll your shoulders up towards your ears, then backwards 10-15 times. 2. Side neck stretch: standing with tall posture, gently bend your head to the side as if you were trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. Stop before the pain. Hold here for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times to each side. 3. Shoulder blade squeezes: with tall posture, gently squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.  These are good stretches to try during your work day to relieve tension and help with that pain in your neck! Enjoy and be safe!