Muscle News Vol I.35:  Splenius Cervicis & SCM
 
Trigger Points That Hurt Your Eyesight - Check These 2 Muscles:
Happy Holidays, All!

In a few short days, much of the world will be opening presents and beautiful cards and watching others do the same ... and that's when some of us will be wishing our vision were just a tad bit clearer.  

We'll be breaking out the reading glasses and holding our cards and gifts at arms length trying to get the full enjoyment of their beauty ... or just read them at all!

Now, what does that have to do with this newsletter?  Why would eyesight be a topic for Muscle News?  

As you know, we pride ourselves in making things simple to understand, so let's break it down.  Assuming all other factors are in check (cloudiness of your eye lens, intraocular pressure, etc.), the clarity of what you see is a matter of bending the lens of your eye to aim the light at your retina.  Simple, right?  Click Here to see it work.

And what bends the lens to focus what you see?  That's right ... muscles!

Now, as we get older, some of our lens get a little stiffer and harder to bend.  That's not a trigger point issue, of course.  And certainly the little eye muscles that bend the lens couldn't be treated with self-care compression even if they had trigger points.  However, there are 2 much bigger neck muscles that cause problems with visual acuity by affecting the little eye focusing muscles through the principle you should by now be familiar with ... referred pain!

When referred pain reaches any area of the body, it can start to bother the nerves and muscles in that area, thus spreading problems and pain from head to toe often times.  The two neck muscles we are addressing in this month's issue, therefore, are the ones whose referred pain patterns reach the lens of the eye!  

You've seen them both before in previous issues ... the Splenius Cervicis & Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)

Splenius Cervicis


 











The referred pain chart here shows that while the Splenius Cervicis muscle may be located in the neck, its referred pain concentrates sharply right at the back of the eyeball, often affecting muscles of the eye, including the muscle that adjusts the shape of the lens for focus.  As a result, a trigger point in the Splenius Cervicis can cause problems focusing the eye on that side resulting in aggravating blurred vision.
 
 And the same is true for the 
SCM: 

There are two divisions of the SCM. The top layer runs from the bony prominence behind the ear (mastoid) to the sternum.  This is the division whose trigger points (white X's) refers pain to and around the eye in a sideways question mark pattern (as well as the back of the head, top of the head, cheek and jaw, and sternum).  Blurred vision is a common symptom as a result.

So, how many of us are walking around with sub-optimal visual acuity, missing out of the details of life, such as holiday gifts and handwritten cards, simply because we have poor posture from driving and using the computer that caused the development of trigger points in a couple key neck muscles?

We don't know exactly how many, but it's likely a good number.  Since it only takes a few minutes to perform a quick self-test, let's see if you might be one of those people right now! 

 
*The information in this article is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition and does not substitute for a thorough evaluation by a medical professional.  Please consult your physician to determine whether these self-care tips are appropriate for you.
4 Quick Tests to Determine if You Have TP's in Your Spenius Capitis & SCM:

Test #1:  Chin to Chest Test (Splenius Cervicis)










               PASS                            Not PASSING

For this test, tuck your chin to your chest without opening your mouth.  A passing result is when the chin touches the chest with the mouth closed.  A not passing result is when the chin does not reach the chest with the mouth closed.  If this is the case, use your fingers to measure the distance between your chest and your chin.  If two fingers or more fit in between, you are highly likely to have myofascial trigger points in your Splenius Cervicis.

Test #2:  Head Rotation Test (both Splenius Cervicis and SCM)

      
           PASS                    Not PASSING

Standing or sitting upright, turn your head to the side as far as you are able without straining or causing pain.  A Passing result is when the head turns without pain far enough so that the nose is over the shoulder (80-90 degrees rotation, as shown).  A Not Passing result occurs when the head is unable to rotate far enough or there is pain while trying to turn the head.

This indicates there are trigger points and myofascial dysfunction in the SCM as you are rotating toward.  In other words, if you have difficulty turning your head fully to the right, it is the left Splenius Cervicis and/or right SCM that would have trigger points.
 
TEST 3: Lateral Flexion (SCM)

       
           PASS                                  NOT PASSING

Standing or sitting upright, tilt your head to the side (lateral flexion) as far as you are able without straining or causing pain.  Do not elevate the shoulder while performing this test.  A Passing result is when the head tilts to the side without pain far enough so that the ear is almost touching the shoulder (over 45 degrees of lateral flexion, as shown).  A Not Passing result occurs when the head is unable to tilt at least 45 degrees or there is pain on lateral flexion.
 
This indicates that the OPPOSITE SIDE SCM from the direction you are laterally flexing has the trigger points.  If you have trouble bending your head to the right, it would indicate the possibility of trigger points in the left SCM.
 

TEST 4:  Sternocleidomastoid Palpation


One of the best ways to palpate the SCM is to turn the head to the opposite side (this shortens the muscle making it easier to grab hold of) and pinching it between your thumb and middle finger (pincer contact).  

If you find taut bands of muscle and tender spots, you have trigger points in your SCM.
 


Simple Self-Care Remedies

The myofascial health of your Splenius Capitis & SCM Muscles are in your hands!  If any of the tests above were positive for myofascial trigger points, the following self-care instructions can benefit you significantly.  Spending a few minutes a day can reduce head pain, eye pain and visual disturbance, as well as improve the structural health of your neck for the rest of your life!

Step 1:  Warming Up with Moist Heat (very important for headaches!)

Heat works wonders for these neck muscles.  Perform a good gentle stretch in the shower, as depicted here before beginning your self-care compression.  Tuck your chin to your chest and rotate the head to the opposite side of the eye issues.  Let the water fall on the neck and relax the muscles.  NOTE:  Some sufferers of migraines find heat intolerable.  This is often due to entrapment of a suboccipital nerve by a muscle called the Splenius Capitis.  If heat aggravates your pain, cold may be a better solution until you have resolved the trigger points causing the entrapment. 


Step 2:  Compression

The best tool by far for treating the Splenius Cervicis is the Backnobber. 
 
This tool works fabulously for trigger points in the Splenius Cervicis.  It is often very effective to put the muscle on the stretch during compression.  You may want to start by simply tucking the chin to the chest and compressing the full length of the muscle.  Search for tender spots and compress to comfortable level 8 - 10 seconds per tender spot or approximately 2-3 full breaths in and out.  Ideally, you will also add rotation away from the side you are treating, as shown, for a most effective compression release. 

 
SCM


The best method for compressing trigger points in your SCM might be to use a Jacknobber or, continue using the pincer contact you used during palpation.  When you find a tender spot, press into the muscle to pain tolerance ("good pain" - not sharp pain).  Hold for 10 seconds while completing at least two full breaths in and out.  Then continue searching for more trigger points.

 

Step 3:  Stretching Your Splenius Cervicis & SCM

There are 2 stretches to perform for these neck muscles:
 
1.)  Lateral Flexion:
 
This stretch is similar to the Lateral Flexion test we just performed above, only with 2 added steps.  
 
Using a stretching strap or jump rope, step on one section of the rope and hold the other end with your hand so that the rope is taut (as Shown).  You should feel a gentle pull on your shoulder down toward the floor.

Now, tilt your head toward the opposite shoulder, as you did in the Lateral Flexion test. Gently rest your opposite hand on the top of your head and stretch gently down toward the shoulder a little further.  Hold this stretch for 20 seconds to tolerance.  Repeat 3 times and alternate to the other side.  This stretch can be performed 2-3 times per day or more as needed.
 
2.)  Rotation Stretch
 
As in the rotation self-test above, rotate your head to one side.  This will stretch the opposite side Splenius Cervicis and same side SCM.  For an additional stretch, gently use two fingers to press on the cheek bone, encouraging the head to rotate slightly more.  Do not strain, but stop at a comfortable stretch.  This stretch can also be performed 2-3 times per day or more as needed.


Step 4:  Stop Activating Them!












Unfortunately, modern living often puts the Splenius Cervicis & SCM in compromised positions.  Two of the most common aggravating postures include squinting at a computer screen (as shown) and sleeping on your stomach with your head turned to one side (as shown).  If you avoid these postures, you will reduce the likelihood of suffering from headaches in your eye and the visual disturbances caused by trigger points.

There are so many suffering these symptoms unnecessarily. Please pass this information on to anyone you know who is in pain!
  
  
Sincerely and Happy New Year,
  
Your Friends at The Pressure Positive Co.
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Find a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist near you. Click on the link below to learn more about these highly trained manual therapists:

NAMTPT LOGO National Association  of Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists

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