Stiff Neck Pain Treatment -
A Quick Fix

This stiff neck pain treatment can allow you to fix your own stiff neck, in most cases.

Those seeking neck pain relief are usually experiencing an inability to fully turn your head to the left side, ride side or both sides. This page is aimed at quickly fixing the restrictions that prevent you from turning your head without discomfort.

Just follow along with the videos below.

Go directly to any "stiff neck pain treatment" video on this page by clicking these links:
Intro,  Video 1,  Video 2,  Video 3,  Video 4 .

Pain Relief Success Story, From Mark:

"WOW, I woke up with an incredibly stiff neck today....I decided to do a little google searching for stiff neck pain relief and found your videos. Gary, I just want to say thank you for those techniques, they were very effective... Thanks again for the very informative instructions on loosening up that stiff neck."  Mark, United States

You can do it too!

This page is a supplement to the main Neck Pain Relief page (click here) and to the main Shoulder and Neck Pain Relief page (click here). If your self-described "stiff neck pain" is primarily where the bottom of your skull meets the top of your neck or where your shoulder and neck intersect at your very upper back then this page will emphasize the most commonly effective do-it-yourself techniques from the above pages.

You can start here first…or head over to the pages mentioned above right now. Either way, doing the techniques below will only help you in the long run, regardless of your specific neck pain relief issue.

This short introductory video is a great place to start.

Click directly to any pain relief video on this page:
Intro,  Video 1,  Video 2,  Video 3,  Video 4 .

*Please Watch This Short Video First. Thanks.

Please visit the techniques page now, if you haven't already.

On the homepage I describe…in detail…the 3 Simple Steps and the 4 Basic Facts about your body that make it possible for you to provide your own joint pain relief.

Detailed Instructions For
Stiff Neck Pain Treatment -
A Quick Fix

It's best if you these techniques on both sides of your body,
not just the side that hurts.

Click directly to any "stiff neck pain treatment" video on this page:
Intro,  Video 1,  Video 2,  Video 3,  Video 4 .

Stiff Neck Pain Treatment - Video 1 of 4
Side of Rib Cage, Side of Shoulder Blade

Depending on your particular issue any one of these techniques could provide the neck and shoulder pain relief you're seeking……so make sure and do them all. Any muscle that attaches to your collar bone (clavicle) or shoulder blade (scapula) can be causing your stiff neck pain. Like the rigging on a sailboat, one muscle being too tight can throw off the whole balance and cause your stiff neck. Effective treatment most often occurs by working on areas other than where you are currently experiencing the stiffness, pain, or discomfort. Remember……where it hurts, is most often not why it hurts when it comes to chronic structural pain. Here's what you're going to do:

A. Side of Rib Cage -

Now we will work on what I call, "the forgotten shoulder girdle muscle." It attaches to the bottom of your shoulder blade and your rib cage (the serratus anterior muscle). If it's too tight it can pull too much on the shoulder blade and cause shoulder joint pain.

With the hand of your injured shoulder, reach across your chest and grab the top of your other shoulder……so your injured arm is hanging relaxed against your chest. Now take your free hand and reach under your hanging arm all the way over to the side of your chest, just below your arm pit.

Feel these muscles that sit on top of your ribs and notice any tender spots until they become less tender. Use the press-pull-release technique to release any tender spots in this area.

Make note of how much stiff neck pain relief this technique provided.

You can also do the press-hold-move technique by pressing on the tissue and raising and lower your arm.

Again, when you are done assess how effective this technique was for relieving your stiff neck.

B. Side of Shoulder Blade -

Your teres major and minor muscles are often major factors in neck pain. Use the press-hold-move technique to release any painful/tight/tender tissue you find here.

You can also lie on your side to access these muscles. With your good shoulder on the floor, press into the muscles on the side of your shoulder blade from this position. Do whatever works best for you. Some much prefer this method, others much prefer the first one...

Take your time with this technique. These two muscle groups are responsible for much of the shoulder and neck pain that comes into my practice every week. Release these and that may be all you need to do to make your stiff neck pain vanish.

Notice how much stiff neck pain relief this technique creates for future reference.

Click directly to any "stiff neck pain treatment" video on this page:
Intro,  Video 1,  Video 2,  Video 3,  Video 4 .

Stiff Neck Pain Relief - Video 2 of 4
Armpit Manual Release and Armpit Muscle Stretch

The muscle in your armpit that we will be releasing is called your subscapularis. It sits between your shoulder blade (scapula) and ribcage. When it gets tight it pulls your shoulder blade out of position and prevents your neck from turning in it's natural full range of motion. When we release the muscle your scapula will sit back where it belongs and your neck muscles will be more able to do their job in turning your neck.

Here's what we're going to do:

Repeat, these techniques on both sides of the body.

A. Manual Release of Subscapularis Muscle:

Lie on your side with the hand from your upper arm resting on the side of your neck, so your elbow is pointing toward the ceiling.

With your other hand reach up and locate the edge of your shoulder blade (scapula) with your fingertips.

Now move your fingertips down toward your chest about an inch and press into the muscle that sits between your shoulder blade (scapula) and your ribcage. Feel how the muscle runs from the top of your armpit down the inside edge of your shoulder blade.

Now press into the muscle tissue and find any tender (painful) spots. Press into them and do a press-hold-move technique while you "flap" your arm back and forth (your elbow will go from pointing at the ceiling to pointing at the wall in front of you), so you feel the muscle tissue you are working on move under your fingertips. Do the length of the inside edge of your shoulder blade with this technique.

Now, with any remaining tender (painful) spots, reach with your hand that is currently on your neck, up over the top of your head, so your arm is parallel with the floor, reach as far as you can and then bring your hand back to the side of your neck. Repeat his motion as you do a press-hold-move technique on any tender tissue.

Lastly, press into any tender tissue and do a press-hold-move technique while taking your hand and moving it in a swatting motion like you were trying to smack a ball with your hand that someone was throwing from behind you about six inches higher than your hip bone.

Notice how much improvement this stiff neck pain treatment provided for future reference.

B. Subscapularis Stretch:

Stand sideways to a wall with your hand touching the back of your neck and your elbow a couple of inches from the wall as you stand straight.

Now take your foot closest to the wall and cross it behind your other foot so you are forced to lean your bodyweight into the arm that is resting against the wall.

Once you feel comfortable and stable, allow more of your bodyweight to rest into the support of your arm on the wall and feel the stretch in your armpit area (subscapularis muscle).

Once you you're comfortable with your support on the wall, repeat a flex and release motion in the muscles you are stretching, so you push yourself away from the wall, and then allow yourself to fall back toward it.

You can also do this while on your knees if the above technique seems to difficult.

Repeat all of these techniques on both side of your body.

Notice how much improvement this stiff neck pain treatment provided for future reference.

Click directly to any "stiff neck pain treatment" video on this page:
Intro,  Video 1,  Video 2,  Video 3,  Video 4 .

Stiff Neck Pain Relief - Video 3 of 4
Underside of Collarbone

Here's what we're going to do:

A. Underside of Collarbone -

Take the tips of your fingers on the hand opposite from the side you're working on and place them on the muscle tissue on the underside of your collarbone (subclavius, pectoralis major and minor muscles). Now, we're going to do the press-pull-release technique with the hand-on-hand technique just to add a little extra power.

You can also do the press-hold-move technique by pressing on the tissue and raising and lower your arm. It can only help!

Notice how effective this stiff neck pain treatment technique is for future reference.

Click directly to any pain relief video on this page:
Intro,  Video 1,  Video 2,  Video 3,  Video 4 .

Stiff Neck Pain Relief - Video 4 of 4
The Jaw

Here's what we're going to do:

A. Jaw and Upper Neck Release

We'll be focusing on a muscle called the lateral pterygoid muscle that's on the inside of your mouth at the very back of your jaw joint. We'll be pressing on this muscle with your pinky, so make sure your pinky nails are trimmed very, very, very short and they are filed down so they are very dull.

To locate the muscle, take your pinky and move it down your top gum line until you reach the very back of your jaw. Open your mouth HALF way and poke your pinky into the space at the very back of your jaw. There may not be much space if your jaw is really tight. Press into the tissue and investigate. Press upward, press downward...and find any tight tissue your can at the very back of your jaw...

And then do a press-hold-move technique on any tight tissue. Open your jaw...then close (about halfway is usually best)....repeat...repeat...repeat.

Do as much work on this area as you want, on both right and left sides. Freeing this one little muscle can have dramatic effects.

You can benefit from doing this technique everyday if you clench or grind your teeth at night.

Notice how much stiff neck pain relief this technique creates for future reference.

Self-Assessment Of
Stiff Neck Pain Treatment

Is your stiff neck pain completely gone? Partially gone?
Which techniques gave you the most stiff neck pain relief?

Was there one specific stiff neck pain treatment that instantly relieved your pain? Remember what worked best for you, so you can do that first next time you need a stiff neck pain treatment.

Are you still experiencing some neck stiffness?

Investigate a bit and you'll eventually find which techniques work best for you to provide the stiff neck pain relief you are seeking. Then you'll be able to fix yourself whenever you desire!

MORE
Neck Pain Relief Pages

Neck Pain Relief (Click Here)
Neck Pain Treatment Quick Fix (Click Here)
Pillows For Neck Pain Relief (Click Here)
Neck and Shoulder Pain Relief (Click Here)

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Do-It-Yourself Joint Pain Relief Homepage