Do spend all day staring at your computer, looking down at your phone? Are you constantly tilting your head from side to side to try and stretch out your neck to ease the tension? Or is there a constant tension in your shoulders, which is worse with stress?
Whether tech neck or neck issues in general due to an old injury, this is something I see a lot in clinic. Whatever the cause, I use a combination of Tui Na (therapuetic massage), acupuncture and electro acupuncture to help ease neck pain and tension to regain mobility.
Why is neck pain so common?
Our head should fit perfectly on top of our spine and the average human head, weighs roughly 5kg. Because our posture, staring at screens, our head tends to lean forward. This puts enormous strain on our neck muscles as they have to work all day, to try and hold your head up. Because the muscles are working over time, they become tight, blood flow becomes constricted and pain and tension starts to build.
How acupuncture treats neck pain?
Acupuncture works in several ways that are increasingly understood through a Western medical lens, not just a traditional one.
It stimulates the body's natural pain-relieving chemicals (endorphins)
Improves local blood circulation to tight or overworked muscles
Relaxes tense muscles around the neck
Reduces localised inflammation
Calms the nervous system's response to pain
Acupuncture encourages your body’s own healing mechanisms to help reduce pain so you ca get back to what you enjoy doing most ✨
How Many Treatments Will I Need?
Acupuncture works on a cumulative basis - meaning, that one treatment won’t cut the mustard! I suggest at least 6-8 weekly treatments, as this allows us to build on the progress from the last treatment.
Once your neck pain is under control, we can start to taper out your treatments to once a fortnight, once a month or just a top up session if you feel your neck starting to flare up again.
What to Expect During the Treatment?
Having completed a full assessment of your neck, range of movement, felt for any tender points, I will likely place a few needles in your hand, and ask your to move around, to see if this has had any changes in your neck pain. After which I will use a combination of acupuncture, Tui Na (massage), to help release your neck fully.
Acupuncture and Tui Na is a very relaxing combination and people often fall asleep during the treatment and go away with an overall sense of calm.
Simple Tips for Neck Pain
👉 We tend to sit with our shoulders hunched up towards our ears, again overworking and constricting the muscles - do make a conscious effort to remember to drop the shoulders down, away from the ears.
👉 For better neck posture: Sit tall now, then ever so slightly drop your chin, and again, ever so slightly pull your chin and head backwards. You should now have a small double chin - attractive I know! But by doing this movement, this helps to centre the head back on top of the spine, and taking the pressure of the neck muscles. Try and remember to do this action throughout the day and hold it.
Ready to get help?
If you're struggling with back pain and would like to see whether acupuncture could help, you're welcome to book an appointment at my Westminster clinic.
Studies have shown that the benefits of acupuncture for neck pain may be maintained up to 12 months after treatment (Cerzo-Tellez 2016; MacPherson 2015).