Today’s video covers a massage technique that can be used to ease upper neck pain and/or headaches that originate from the upper neck or suboccipital region.
Neck pain can occur throughout the cervical spine including the area just inferior to the skull, also referred to as the suboccipital region. Issues in this region are also thought to be associated with cervicogenic headaches, which describe a form of headache that originates from the neck and refers to regions of the head and/or face.
Tissues that are thought to contribute to pain in this region of the neck and/or the development of a cervicogenic headache include muscles, ligaments, joints and discs in the region between the skull and C1-3 vertebrae.
Symptoms are usually unilateral (on one side) and provoked with movement of the neck and palpation of the upper cervical spine. Other associated findings include weakness of the deep neck flexors and trigger points in the upper trapezius, levator, scalenes and suboccipitals.
Considering these findings, the following partner technique may be helpful if you are suffering from this type of neck pain/headache.
Suboccipital Massage: Place your hands and fingers just below the base of your partner’s skull as shown. Move them around slightly until you find tender points or areas that reproduce their headache symptoms. Hold in this position for several minutes to help ease muscle tension and pain. The chin tuck can be added to further mobilize the area, but isn’t necessary.
