Does neck pain require massage?

In modern society, due to the widespread use of computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices, people have gradually started to bow their heads for a long time. Now, people call them "head-down tribe". This influence is early and deep. When bowing the head, the muscles behind the spine are in a state of high tension for a long time, which is easy to be strained and lose the compensatory ability to restore the stability of the spine. When bowing the head, the pressure on the intervertebral disc tissue between the vertebrae is several times or even dozens of times that of normal, which will inevitably accelerate the degeneration of the intervertebral disc.

First of all, for the muscles behind the spine, long-term bowing makes the neck muscles in a state of high tension and stiffness, which is nothing more than strain, nerve compression, and trauma. The original physiological curvature of the cervical spine becomes straight, resulting in compensation for the stability of the spine. This can lead to what we often call cervical spondylosis in the long run.

In this situation, the first thing to do is to avoid a long-term stiff neck. It is recommended to do some neck exercises after working with your head down for an hour. You can do neck extension, neck flexion, rotation, lateral flexion, such as the flying swallow movement, for 10-15 minutes each time, but remember not to overdo it to avoid excessive stretching of stiff muscles and muscle edema. Second, you can apply hot compresses to the neck to promote blood circulation in the neck muscles, which is very helpful for relaxing stiff muscles. Third, you can do appropriate acupuncture and massage to relieve muscle stiffness, but when you don't know if there are other problems with the cervical spine, remember to do massage.

Secondly, the pressure on the intervertebral disc tissue during long-term bowing is several times or even dozens of times higher than normal. The intervertebral disc consists of the nucleus pulposus in the central part, which is a gelatinous substance rich in elasticity; and the annulus fibrosus in the peripheral part, which is composed of multiple layers of fibrocartilage rings arranged in concentric circles. The cervical annulus fibrosus is thick in the front and thin in the back. The normal physiological curvature of the cervical spine is lordosis. When people bow their heads, the intervertebral space is narrow in the front and wide in the back. The intervertebral disc in the middle protrudes backwards and compresses the spinal cord or nerve root at the back, causing a series of symptoms. Since the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc is rich in water and elasticity, temporary bowing will not cause any symptoms, but long-term bowing of the head will cause a series of symptoms if the intervertebral disc cannot be retracted.

Cervical spondylosis refers to the degenerative changes of the cervical intervertebral disc and its attached structures, and the secondary degenerative changes of the intervertebral joints, which stimulate or compress the spinal cord, nerves, and blood vessels, resulting in a series of symptoms, such as unilateral or bilateral numbness of the hands, and unstable walking, as if walking on cotton. It is recommended to go to the hospital for a cervical spine MRI. Once a series of problems with the cervical spine are found, remember to massage, because heavy-handed cervical spine massage and heavy-weight cervical spine traction treatment may cause the patient's symptoms to worsen, and even cause difficult-to-recover nerve damage. External force causes the cervical spine to overflex or overextend, causing dislocation or fracture. Indirect spinal cord injury may lead to quadriplegia, such as paralysis of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, and breathing difficulties.

Manual massage is one of the more effective treatments for neck pain. Its therapeutic effect can relieve tension and spasm of the cervical and shoulder muscles, restore the activity of the cervical spine, loosen the adhesion of nerve roots and soft tissues, widen the intervertebral space, enlarge the intervertebral foramen, relieve stimulation and compression of nerves and blood vessels, and promote local blood circulation, thereby achieving the effects of relaxing muscles and tendons, relieving spasms and pain, and alleviating symptoms. At the same time, massaging paralyzed limbs can also reduce muscle atrophy and prevent joint stiffness and joint deformity.

Neck pain is often caused by cervical spondylosis and cervical muscle strain. When the X-ray examination shows nothing wrong, it is often due to strain. Guidance: In general, it can be treated with massage, acupuncture, physical therapy, topical medication, etc. When cervical spondylosis is diagnosed, remember not to blindly massage. You can do a series of self-exercises under the specific guidance of a doctor. (Niu Guangfeng, Department of Spine Surgery, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University)