Your Top 5 Pain Problems Solved (Part 2)

Continuing from the last post we are moving on to..........

Pain Hotspot #4: Shoulders

Your shoulder is a ball and socket surrounded by ligaments and tendons and has a broader range of motion than any other joint in your body. it is especially prone to pain because of the fact that this joint moves in so many different directions. Whether you’ve strained your shoulder from overuse while digging in the garden or from reach for something overhead, that shooting pain or throbbing sensation can be excruciating.

To ease your aches, stretch yourself

If your shoulder is aching from overuse, some mild stretching may help relax the tightness in those muscles to relieve some of the soreness. The easiest way to stretch our shoulders is to stand at the corner of a room, bend your arms so that your elbows are shoulder height and press the palms against the wall. This is the famous "doorway stretch". Lean into the corner with your head dropped so that your shoulders get stretched back behind you. Hold the stretch for a count of five, relax for a count of five and repeat five times. 

Pain Hotspot #5: Head and Neck
Many of us get regular headaches and they are tension related. The main culprit is linked to a tightening of the muscles in your neck that turn your head from side to side or with the muscles at the base of your neck.

To ease your aches, just breathe

Stress can signal the body to release adrenaline, which can cause shallow breathing and those neck muscles to tighten, resulting in headaches. Putting a hot compress on your neck relaxes the muscles and will help relieve your headache. Practicing relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, can also help signal your body to release less adrenaline and alleviate tense muscles. When we are really anxious or super stressed what do we do?  We hold our breath!  Exactly the opposite of what we should be doing.  The next time you feel a tension headache coming on, mindfully slow your breathing by inhaling for a count of four. Then exhale for a count of four as you focus on a word, such as peace, to help distract yourself from your worries. Repeat for about a minute to feel calmer.