End Neck
Pain

I don’t know about your experience, but for me, neck pain has been one of the worst!

In fact, one of my worst pain memories happened years ago. It was first thing in the morning – I was singing with the radio, dancing to “wake-up” and get ready for work, only to have a surprise “pinch of pain ” in my neck . It was so intense that the pain dropped me to the floor!

I couldn’t believe that a pinch in my neck could have that much impact…

– But there I was, cringing with pain and amazed that my neck could leave me feeling so disabled!

So not Fun!

Through my years studying the body, pain, and how to unwind pain patterns, I’ve learned one important thing….

The #1 Test to see if you’ve increased the chances that you’ll have intense neck pain is:

• Measure where your ear sits compared to your shoulder.

• AKA – The center of your ear should form a direct line across the top of your shoulder to the tip of your shoulder.

In other words, You know that you’re on your way to neck pain, if …

• Your ear sits in front of your shoulder, or in other words,

• AKA If the middle of your shoulder sits forward from the middle of your ear.

So, How do we fix this problem? – How did you get there? – And why does this happen?

Funny Thing – The Key Question is – How Heavy is Your Head????

Here are the facts…

• If your head is in it’s ideal position, it sits directly above your spine.  The marker for this position is that your ear aligns to the center of your head.

• The weight of your skull and brain together is about 12 lbs.

• When your ear aligns with the center of your shoulder, your spine will be positioned to fully support that weight.

However, if because of computer work, gardening, driving, side-sleeping, texting, etc. etc. (you know there are so many options ☺) you lean your neck forward, say an a mere (2) inches, from your spine, here’s what happens:

• You’ve disconnected your head from its ideal support structure, the spine, AND

• Now, with your head  sitting just beyond your spine, gravity now has a more direct pull on your head

• Without the direct support of the spine, your body has to co-opt your muscles – particularly your  upper traps – to support the weight of your head.

• The Result: When your head sits forward (2) inches from your shoulders, the effective weight of your head jumps from 12 lbs. to 32 lbs. and And Guess What – You’re Going to Have Neck Pain!

• And if your head comes forward 3 inches… The effective weight of your head is 42 lbs!

And if your habit is that your head sits forward from the center of your shoulders:

1. You traps effectively migrate forward to help offset the now unsupported position of your head – You know it sucks when your spine can’t do it’s job!

2. With your head now habitually forward and beyond the support of your spine, your eye sight will tend towards the ground. – But of course that won’t do!

3. Occipital muscles to the Rescue!

• You have a collection of (6) small muscles – each about 1/2″ wide – that sit in a star-shaped pattern just below the ridge of your skull.

• These muscles are tasked with tightening to lift your head upward so that your eyes are level and you can see more readily.

What that means to you is that you’ve just activated the star-shaped “Headache Central,” as I call it, and you’ve likely added chronic headaches to the neck pain mix!