Massage Techniques to Help You Ease Neck Discomfort

Do you often get neck strain? The neck is vulnerable to stress. Leaning forward toward a computer or sleeping in risky positions can cause nagging pain in the morning. Learning some neck massage techniques can help remedy the discomfort if you can’t visit your therapist for a self-care session. Here’s what to know about the common causes of neck tension and massage techniques you can learn quickly.

Common Causes of Neck Pain

Anyone can get a sore and stiff neck for several reasons, such as:

  • Muscle strains: Your neck can stiffen if it fixates in one direction, like when you sleep on one side or stare down at your phone for hours. Poor posture also increases the risk of muscular strain. 
  • Traumatic injuries: Sudden and forceful back-and-forth movement can hurt the neck, which can happen during a car accident.
  • Diseases: Conditions like arthritis and meningitis can prompt aching sensations around the neck. 
  • Mental stress: Some people habitually tighten their neck muscles when agitated, leading to strain. 

Neck Massage Techniques to Ease Neck Discomfort

Therapists combine various massage techniques to liberate the neck from pain. You can learn some of these as a beginner and apply them to yourself. Other methods may require technical skills only a massage expert can perform. 

1. Effleurage 

Effleurage comes from the French word “to touch lightly” or “to skim.” This technique involves long, sweeping strokes of medium pressure applied to the neck. Learn this self-massage for neck pain and do it at home.

Using open palms and thumbs, glide your fingers slowly from the base of your neck near the shoulder upward to the bottom of the skull. Do this a few times until you feel better. This type of massage may help reduce depression, anxiety and stress while improving circulation and pain around the neck area.

2. Petrissage 

Petrissage soothes tight muscles and boosts blood and lymphatic circulation. This massage strategy uses the knuckles, forearms, palms and fingers, combining lifting, squeezing and rolling movements to treat the neck. Unlike shallow strokes, petrissage gets deep into the muscles to untangle the knots and relieve tension. 

Beginning near the shoulders with fingers apart, your therapist will locate the tissue and gently lift and squeeze it, like kneading dough. They’ll spend extra time on tight areas to ease your tension.

3. Myofascial Release 

This dry massage for neck pain treats the fascia, the tissues that envelope and support the muscles. Beneath the skin, the fascia can get tight or crinkle up for numerous reasons, such as looking at a computer for hours. 

The therapist applies controlled pressure to lengthen the fascial tissues to stimulate a tight neck. They’ll knead and stretch one area repeatedly until the tension is released, then move on to the next part.

4. Deep Tissue Massage

If you struggle with postural problems or repetitive neck strain, a deep tissue massage is the solution for alleviating discomfort around the area. Since this method targets lower layers of muscles, you may feel sore after completing a session. 

Your therapist starts by warming up the muscles using light force and slow strokes, then gradually increasing the pressure to release any constrictions. Deep tissue massage is a widely used technique for addressing various body aches. If neck pain is due to an injury, your doctor may recommend supplementing deep tissue massage with minimally invasive methods to alleviate chronic pain and restore the neck’s normal function. Depending on the severity of your case, you may need repeated treatments.

5. Lymphatic Drainage

The neck has several lymphatic nodes that can sometimes get swollen or blocked when lymph vessels fail to drain the fluids efficiently. Massaging the area can manually remove the extra fluid and minimize the swelling. Beginners can learn this method and include it in their daily self-care habits. 

Position flat hands on the back of the neck, beneath the hairline on both sides of the spine. Slowly glide your hands down toward the base of the neck to stretch the skin. Repeat this 10-15 times. Doing this boosts the lymphatic flow on the nodes at the back of the neck and gets rid of waste from the body tissues. 

6. Neck Stretches 

Although neck stretches are mainly considered exercise, therapists combine them with other neck massage techniques to fix mobility issues in the neck. You can do them at home to soothe stiff or sore necks. 

Tilting forward and backward can alleviate pain if you have a tech neck caused by looking down at your phone for long periods. You can also tilt right and left, gently pulling your head with one hand for five to 10 seconds to stretch the opposite side. You’ll notice the pain is more bearable after doing these easy routines. 

Self-Massage Tool for Neck Pain

Neck pain is a common problem among adults. About 20% to 70% experience nagging neck aches. How do you find relief if you can’t visit your therapist? One solution is self-massage tools.

A professional yet easy-to-use at-home massager can prevent a tense neck that frustrates you all day. Some tools combine vibration, percussion and heat into a single massager. One with this feature can provide an instant remedy for pain, making it a good health investment if you’re prone to neck soreness.

Are self-massagers effective? Yes. Massagers are a self-care staple among athletes, gym goers, work-from-home folks and people with injuries, as they help relieve stress. Their best advantage is convenience — you don’t have to master a massage technique since you can simply turn on the device and use it on the affected area.

Get a Self-Massage Tool That Works

Save time and gas from driving to a spa. Try Myobuddy’s classic advanced self-massage tools to ease stiff neck and body pains with a 30-day guarantee. Pamper yourself and relieve neck pain without leaving home. Don’t know which tool is best for you? We’re happy to answer your product questions, so drop us an email at any time.

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