How'd I Get That Pain? Part I, Head and Neck

If you’ve just run a marathon or spent time tossing your six-year-old into the air and catching him, you have a pretty good guess, afterward, as to why you have that pain. From time to time, however, you’ll find yourself with muscle pain that is a complete mystery to you. “I must have slept funny” is a common guess about the source of neck pain. And sometimes, that’s exactly what it is. But other times, there may be factors at work that could be avoided in the future. While it’s my job, as a massage therapist, to help you alleviate that pain, knowing whence it came can possibly save you from having that issue from making a return engagement.

Muscle	Location	Stressors of That Muscle
Sternocleidomastoid	Side of neck, toward front	Lying on side while reading; poor eyesight (leading with the eyes); prolonged automobile driving; too-tight collars and neckties; drooping shoulders; chronic cough; whiplash injuries; structural faults (short leg or small hemi-pelvis); overhead painting, carpentry, wallpapering; horseback riding; front-row movie seats; working for long-periods with head turned to one side (“word-processor headache”)
Semispinalis capitis	Along the ridge of the cervical and upper thoracic spine	Sustained neck flexion while reading, writing, playing, or working; whiplash or trauma resulting in postural imbalance; improper adjustment of prescription eyeglasses; lack of lumbar support when seated
Splenius cervicis	Back of the neck to upper part of the spine	Use of the dominant eye; cold air blowing on neck, such as reading under a drafty air conditioner or riding a motorcycle with head forward with a cold wind whipping around the edge of the helmet; bird watching through binoculars
Splenius capitis	Back of the neck	Cold air blowing on neck; whiplash injury; excessive hyperextension; painting a ceiling; computer use or other reasons for sitting with head held forward and turned to the side
Trapezius, upper	Along each side of cervical spine and into the top of the shoulder	Sitting with head protracted; writing at a desk that is too high; cold weather; cradling telephone between shoulder and ear; chronic anxiety (with raised shoulder response); carrying a should bag, luggage, or heavy purse
Suboccipitals	Below the skull under the other muscles at the back of the neck	Sustained upward gaze with head tilted up; sustained awkward head positions; maladjusted eyeglasses; use of bifocal or trifocal lenses; prolonged typing while reading copy from a flat surface; watching TV lying with chin propped on hands
Temporalis	Side of the head above the ear	Cold draft over the muscle; clenching and grinding of the teeth; excessive gum chewing; ill-fitting dentures
Masseter	Connecting upper and lower jaw	Tension, unresolved anger (clenching teeth); bruxism; pipe smoking, chewing gum; ill-fitting dentures; crushing ice or nuts with teeth; an uneven bite; Prozac and related anti-depressants such as Paxil specifically cause tightness in this muscle
Scalenes	Side of the neck	Coughing; carrying shoulder bags; upper chest breathing, asthma; reading in bed; whiplash
Levator scapula	From the top of the cervical spine to the top of the scapula	Looking sideways for long periods of time; cradling telephone between shoulder and ear; using crutches that are too long; tense or aggressive postures; falling asleep with head tilted backward or to one side