Neck pain is something that we all experience at some point in life, and it is not fun. Neck pain can manifest for very different reasons; it can be chronic, it can come and go, and it can debilitate our day. In this blog, we are going to look at the different aspects of neck pain.
Cervical Anatomy – What’s In Your Neck?
Firstly, we should understand neck anatomy.
The neck is formed by the cervical vertebrae, which run from C0 to C7.
Upper Cervical
The first 3, so C0, C1, and C2, are a bit unique, given their position and to the muscle that they connect, they can be considered the upper portion of the cervical. Along those 3 vertebrae, we find the Occipital Muscle Group, which we discussed in this blog post.
Lower Cervical
From C3 to C7, indeed, we have the lower portion of the neck. Along those vertebrae, we find different muscle groups. Some of those connect cervical vertebrae to the thoracic ones, like Splenius Cervicis. Others connect the vertebrae to the scapula or to the skull, like Levator Scapulae and Splenius Capitis. Lastly, we have the upper portion of the Erector Spinae group, which connects the rib cage to the Cervical and Skull area. Like, Longissimus Capitis, Longissimus Cervis, Illiocostalis Cervis and Semispinalis Capitis.
Not only muscles
On top of all the muscles we mentioned above, the neck is also a busy junction of veins, arteries, nerves and ligaments.
So now you may start to understand that neck pain is not only an issue that is muscle-related, but it could be from a combination of reasons.
What Can You Do About It?
Being in pain is not a fun thing. I can be debilitating and change your mood for the day. If you are experiencing neck pain or any type of pain, always consider this: Pain can be a result of inflammation. An inflammation that lasts 24 to 72 hours is just a body response that is under control. If pain lasts more than 72 hours, it is time to seek help.
How Can I Help With Neck Pain?
If your neck pain is not settling and you need help, choosing the right type of therapist can really change how your neck feels.
At Melbourne Massage and Treatment, in Fitzroy North, when I get someone who presents with neck pain, the first thing I will do is go through their medical history, and I will look at a possible mechanism of action that leads to the neck pain being there in the first place.
Once we have an idea, or more awareness of why neck pain manifests, we can consider what the best treatment plan is to go for.
Is Massage Enough to Fix Your Neck Pain?
Massage, or any form of hands-on treatment, including cupping, dry-needling, and even MLD, is a wonderful technique that can help in settling your symptoms and relieve the initial discomfort. But to really change the presentation and ensure that the neck pain is not a recurring presentation, we need to look into it a bit further, and most luckily, intervene with some form of mobility and strength exercises.
Below is a brief breakdown of things that we may want to investigate and how we will address them.
Mobility-Stability Joint Chain
As mentioned above, the cervical area is composed of two groups of cervical C0-C2 and C3-C7, which are correspondingly mobile and stable joints
Below your cervical, we then have the Thoracic portion of your spine, which is a mobile joint (T1-T12). Lack of mobility in this section would then put a lot of stress on your cervical stable portion (C3-C7), which would try to act as mobile, leading to facet joint irritation.
History of Whiplash
Whiplash is a form of trauma that can affect your cervical joint for years, unless proper rehabilitation is done. To restore your neck pain from a whiplash presentation, we will have to assess the chronicity of the presentation, which may start with some hands-on treatment, like mobilisation and deep tissue massage, and move on to strengthening exercises for the neck and mobility for the thoracic.
Neck Pain And Headache
Muscular tension headaches are a real thing, and they can affect your daily life, impairing your functionality and ability to deliver a task. Muscular tension headaches are not migraine, and hands-on treatment and exercises have the potential to get you out of pain and restore your well-being.
Muscular tension headaches are a result of tension accumulating in your cervical and upper shoulder muscles, which refer pain to a specific spot on your head.
FAQs
Giovanni La Rocca
Giovanni moved to Melbourne, Australia, from Italy in 2008 and became a citizen in 2017. He started studying massage therapy in 2016, then completed a Bachelor of Health Science in Clinical Myotherapy in August 2024. During those years, he also specialised in Thai Massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage for presentations like Lipoedema and Lymphoedema. Nowadays, he runs his clinic in Fitzroy North, Melbourne, where he integrates movement therapy into his practice to enhance overall well-being. He also values meditation, having completed several Vipassana courses. Committed to continuous learning, he aims to share his expertise in integrated therapies to help others achieve balance and resilience.