People complain of pain in the front of the shoulder when lifting the elbow above the shoulder or back at shoulder level. This pain is less distinct and focused unless the person has a specific activity that they need to do and cannot adapt to their movement. For instance, one case was a weightlifting enthusiast who […]
Here are some specific stretches for scalene muscles that have been recommended by many sources over the years. They were published in the self-care section on scalenes in the research of Janet Travell, the physician to two presidents. Clinical experience has proven them to be effective for helping the problematic effects of tight scalene muscles. Helpful
People complain about waking with stiff, swollen hands in the morning. Some of them have problems with tingling and sleeping hands in the night. They often get up and move their arms around until the tingling stops and the arms are awake again. Sometimes, they have stiff hands, pain, or tingling when they hold their arms
A patient will hold their arm up as if they have it on top of the steering wheel. They trace along the outside of their shoulder and say, “It hurts right here, and sometimes in my forearm.” As well, the pain can shift and bother them worse in the forearm. When I ask them if
When the trigger point is less advanced, people hold their arm out with the elbow away from their side, reach around to touch the back of the shoulder behind the arm pit and say that it hurts there. If I ask if they can reproduce the pain, they cautiously rotate their hand back to a throwing
This breathing exercise for relief from upper back pain can be very effective when done properly and regularly. It is relaxing and works well for clients that don’t want to use something like a yoga wheel. Also, some people like it who don’t want to “pop their back.” I have given this technique to a
Self Care – Breathing exercise for upper back pain Read More »
Patients complain of pain in the shoulder when brushing their teeth, combing their hair, putting on make-up, shaving their face, etc. Typically, patients describe this pain as achy and deep in the shoulder. Their primary complaint may also include pain while carrying something by their sides like suitcases or buckets. This trigger point usually doesn’t disturb sleep but is often
Sleeping on Your Side People complain of pain that disturbs their sleep when lying on the painful shoulder. Surprisingly, it creates pain as it is stretched when sleeping on the opposite shoulder too. It is a deeper pain than the illustration suggests. They have spent most of their time sleeping on that shoulder with that hand
When the trigger point severely restricts the muscle, people complain of pain, burning, tingling, and “that numb feeling” on the back of the head. They are often concerned because the pain is tingling and can feel prickly along the back of their head. They may say that it bothers them less now but will bother
Many clients come to me with pain that their doctor has called “sciatica.” Sciatica originally referred to painful inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve emerges from the lower lumbar vertebrae and upper sacral segments (L4-S3) and innervates the majority of the gluteal region, posterior thigh, and the lower leg. “Sciatica” is now commonly used
