Continue with the back of your neck and shoulders.  This time, bend your head forward and tilt toward the opposite shoulder.  Perform similar strokes from the back of your head down toward your shoulder blades on both sides.

Next, raise your arm up over your head letting it drape with the elbow bent over your head to relax.  Brush from the tip of the elbow down the entire side of the body to your waist.  Again, perform 3-5 times per line until the whole side is covered.  

Continue using the same principles of warming the area, gently stretching, and brushing along the direction of the stretch.  Cover front and backs of the legs, the buttocks and low back, etc.  Especially focus on brushing over the areas where you are experiencing pain.  Don't do anything that aggravates the pain, but rather soothe the pain with the heat and brushing.  Performing this routine 2-3 times per day can be very effective at relieving the pain from tight muscles and oversensitized nerves.  Your trigger point therapist can show you how to work on specific areas if you need more guidance.

TECHNIQUE 2:   Diaphragmatic Breathing

It is important to realize the most consistent pattern of movement that goes on all day in your body is breathing.  There are a number of reasons why we develop faulty patterns of breathing, meaning that we breath with our chests and neck muscles instead of our abdomens.  Some reasons can be stress / anxiety or trying to suck our bellies in to appear more fit.  When faulty breathing patterns exist, overuse of muscles in the neck and chest over months and years can lead  to extremely painful tension in our upper bodies.  Additionally, the breathing pattern of stress can reinforce anxiety, whereas proper breathing is relaxing.

Here is a video example of faulty breathing, sometimes referred to as Paradoxical Breathing: 

Paradoxical Breath

Here is a video that describes a couple of self-tests you can perform to check for disordered breathing:

Correct Breathing - MYOBALANCE Self Test

Proper Diaphragmatic Breathing can be very useful in relaxing the nervous system and the muscles of the neck and chest.  Here is an exercise we recommend:

1.)  Lie down on your back with your knees bent.
2.)  Place one hand over your belly and your other hand at the side of your neck, pressing in lightly.
3.)  Relax your abdomen and allow your belly to rise as you slowly inhale, breathing through your nose with your tongue pressed against the roof of your mouth.
4.)  Use the hand on your neck to feel whether your neck muscles tighten as you inhale.  If they do, try to relax them and breathe without causing them to contract.
5.)  Next, focus on your breathing as you exhale slowly and without strain.  Your belly should feel like it is deflating.  Everything else should remain relaxed.

Incorporate this technique into your daily practice up to five times per day for 5 -10 minute periods.  Try different positions, such as seated, lying down, standing, and walking to make sure you can breathe properly in your daily activities.  Put on some relaxing music for sleeping or meditation to ease the anxiety and start a new pattern of breathing and relaxing.  Don't try to be perfect.  Just practice and enjoy the peace it can bring.


If you practice these brushing and breathing techniques daily, you should find a decrease in anxiety and tension, an increase in mobility and function, and less myofascial pain.  Please consult your doctor and trigger point therapist for further assistance.