One of the common occurrences after waking up from sleep is experiencing a stiff neck, which can be uncomfortable and painful. So, how should we deal with a stiff neck? Do you have any tips? Today, I will share some methods to treat a stiff neck, and I believe you can't wait to know. Let's take a look at the specific introduction below.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Massage Therapy for a Stiff Neck
A stiff neck, also known as "lost pillow" in the medical field, is characterized by acute spasms in the neck muscles, which forcibly maintain a certain position. It restricts the movement of the neck. Mild cases can recover within a week and may radiate to the head and upper limbs. If not healed for several weeks or frequently experiencing stiff neck, it is often an early manifestation of cervical spondylosis.
Etiology and Pathogenesis
1. Massage Muscle Injury: Improper sleeping posture and unsuitable pillow height can cause the muscles to stay in a stretched state for a long time, leading to static damage and swelling of the muscles (such as the sternocleidomastoid muscle, trapezius muscle, and levator scapulae muscle). Alternatively, when the neck muscles are completely relaxed during sleep, improper coordination of muscle force during turning can cause injury.
2. Exposure to Wind and Cold: Stagnation of qi and blood in the neck and back due to wind and cold can cause stiffness, pain, and restricted movement.
Clinical Manifestations
1. After waking up in the morning, stiffness and pain in the neck and shoulders, often on one side. Severe pain may radiate to the head or upper limbs. Some patients support their heads with their hands and walk slowly to avoid pain caused by vibration. Tenderness is widespread, mostly near the spinous process or sternocleidomastoid muscle and the upper corner of the scapula.
2. Limited neck function, restriction in flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral bending of the neck. Body rotation is often used instead of neck movement.
Treatment
1. The patient sits, and massage the painful area of the neck and shoulders for 10 minutes.
2. Acupressure on Fengchi, Jianjing, Tianzong, Bingfeng, Ashi, and other acupoints.
3. Finger kneading of tense muscles.
4. Neck traction method.
5. Neck lateral pushing method: The physician stands on the affected side, presses the affected shoulder with one hand or forearm, and supports the lateral part of the head with the other hand. The two hands push the head in opposite directions, pressing the shoulder 2-3 times.
6. Massage Jianjing acupoint and rub and knead the shoulders.
Advantages of Massage
Massage has many advantages. It is easy to learn, simple to operate, economical, and practical. It can also replace medication. For example, after massage, some patients feel mentally refreshed, acting as a stimulant. It can also calm down patients, acting as a sedative.
Due to its benefits to the circulatory system and metabolism, massage is relatively safe and reliable for patients with general chronic diseases or excessive physical weakness. For children who are not convenient to take medication, massage can enhance their physical fitness and serve as preventive healthcare. For some complex diseases, massage can be combined with acupuncture and medication. However, for acute infectious diseases with high fever or organ lesions such as typhoid fever, pneumonia, and tuberculosis, massage can only be used as a complementary treatment.
If you have a tumor, acute suppurative appendicitis, intestinal perforation, or gallbladder inflammation caused by gallbladder worms, which develop rapidly, promptly go to the hospital's emergency department without using massage to avoid delaying treatment. For married women who suddenly experience severe abdominal pain around two months after a missed menstrual period, in order to confirm the possibility of ectopic pregnancy or other acute disease, they should also be promptly taken to the hospital for rescue without delay.
Conclusion:
Through the massage treatment methods for a stiff neck mentioned above, I believe that as long as you carefully read my article, you will understand the benefits of massage. Massage has almost no side effects. It can not only help you treat a stiff neck but also alleviate symptoms such as shoulder periarthritis, cold legs, and rheumatism. The effect is quite good.
