NECK PAIN & UPPER TRAPEZIUS SPASMS

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NECK PAIN UPPER TRAPEZIUS SPASMS
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Neck pain and upper trap spasms are common
conditions affecting almost everyone at least
once in their life. It also afflicts others on a
regular basis.  Most people experience waking up
with a painful, stiff neck. The pain and spasms
are usually accompanied by a loss of normal neck
range of motion, making daily activities
difficult such as turning your head or the
inability to look behind when driving. The pain
can range from a dull ache to sharp, stabbing
pain. We often blame these knots on stress and
shoulder problems. The internet is full of
treatments and stretching exercises that may give
transient relief, but the twinges and cricks
often return and even worsen
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What Causes Muscle Spasms in your Upper Trap and
Scapular Regions?  There are many reasons for
muscle spasms including fatigue, dehydration,
blood restriction, nerve injury, electrolyte
imbalance. Muscles also go into spasm as a way
for the body to protect an area from further
injury. An example would be a dislocated shoulder
 the muscles around the shoulder go into spasms
to prevent further movement. When the brain
senses instability or tissue damage around the
spine, it sends out a signal that causes muscle
guarding. A protective spasm is the brains
reflexogenic attempt to prevent further insult to
injured tissues. By splinting the area with
spasms, muscle locking effectively reduces
painful joint movements and gives you a warning
that something is wrong. Injury/stress to the
neck triggers produces these muscle spasms in the
trapezius and scapular regions. These knots are
usually the size of a quarter to half-dollar and
they are dense and tender to touch. Our first
thought is to stretch and massage these muscles,
but this does NOT address the cause of the
spasms. Massage, ultrasound, stretching, trigger
point injections can all provide relief of tight
muscle or muscle spasms but the relief is usually
only temporary.
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A mechanical assessment will uncover the root
cause of pain and spasm. If movement and/or
positions affect your neck symptoms, then your
symptoms are the result of a mechanical
problem.  (If your symptoms are not affected by
movement then further testing is needed to
determine if your symptoms are the result of
a non-mechanical disorder.) A trained clinician
can assess your movement patterns to determine
the underlying root cause of your pain and
spasms. When the root cause is determined then
the mechanical disorder can easily be
corrected. Misconceptions 1.   Muscle relaxers
are the proper treatment for my neck
spasms. FALSE.  Muscle relaxers are not treating
the problem, only masking the symptoms.
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2.   Trigger points are the cause of the knots in
my neck and need to be targeted with massage and
injections. FALSE. The muscle spasms are
referred from an underlying cervical
disorder. 3.   Massage, Active release, foam
rolling are the best treatments for tight neck
muscles. FALSE. The muscles are tight because of
an underlying mechanical disorder of the
spine. Only when this disorder is corrected will
the tightness and spasms go away. 4.   I have an
inflamed trapezius muscle. FALSE.  The trapezius
muscle is not inflamed. It is in a protective
spasm because of an underlying mechanical
disorder stemming from the cervical or upper
thoracic spine.
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How Do You Treat Neck and Shoulder Pain?  Since
most neck pain is mechanical or caused by stress
or damage to joints and soft tissue, the
treatment must also be mechanical or movement
exercise. An assessment of the quality/quantity
of movement as well as the effect on symptoms
determines which underlying structures are
problematic. Often there is a directional
preference or movement in one direction that
reduces symptoms. Posture correction often
coincides with reducing neck and or shoulder
symptoms. Schedule a Mechanical Assessment now
with one of our specialists so they can determine
the underlying cause of your symptoms and help
you with a self-treatment program https//web.vpt
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