November brings daily gratitude lists, cold winds, leaves to rake, turkey day planning, mile long shopping lists, and the looming tension headache!  So much to do and so little time! But for now, around here, it feels a little like the calm before the storm and we're starting the month of gratitude feeling grateful for quiet time spent as a family, snuggled on the couch.
This time of year, the majority of my clients complain of stress, headaches and neck pain. So, for the final Muscle of the Month for 2015, I'm focusing on a group of muscles that are typically the culprit of these complaints, and probably one of the muscles that I work with the most. Truthfully it's the one that hurts me the most as well! In my experience, this muscle group is also the single most pleasing and popular area for massage. No other area gets such rave reviews, it can be deeply relaxing and provides much relief!
Muscle of the Month: Suboccipitals
*Location- The suboccipital muscles are a group of muscles located below the occipital bone at the base of the skull. There are four paired muscles on the underside of the bone; the two straight muscles (rectus capitis posterior major and rectus capitis posterior minor) and the two oblique muscles (obliquus capitis superior and obliquus capitis inferior).
*Action-  Extension, lateral flexion (ear to shoulder) and rotation of the head. Along with your other neck muscles, this group works overtime just to keep your head balanced on your neck and are working with virtually every movement you make, and even when you're not moving at all.  
*Common Complaints- Because these small muscles are constantly being used, they can cause some big pain. The biggest complaint with injury or tight sub-occ muscles is a tension headache. These muscles can also cause pain to the face, achy and stiff neck, TMJ, migraines, loss of movement in the head and neck, and pain around the ear and temples. Pain is often described as being very deep in the neck/base of the head, hard to pin point and difficult to describe.
*Typical Causes-  These small muscles are tight in most people, most of the time. They become tense and tender due to things like...eye strain, looking down at a phone or computer, breast feeding, poor ergonomics at work or home, grinding teeth, slouching and poor posture, injuries such as concussions or whiplash and poor sleeping habits or positions. 
*Stretches- This link has some great info on this muscle group, posture changes and a very easy stretch you can do anywhere- at a stop light, your desk or at the dinner table. You can also try self massage with a tennis ball . Stuff two tennis balls into a sock and tie it off tightly. Lie on your back on the floor. Place the tennis balls under the base of your skull and allow your head to compress against them. Gently rock your head back and forth and side to side for a few minutes each day.  
*Helpful hints- I prefer ice and cold compresses over using heat for this area. Heat brings more blood to the area that is already small and tight enough. Ice will be a natural pain reliever, an anti-inflammatory and it helps the muscles relax. If adding the stretches, self massage and ice doesn't help, let's discuss and try to come up with what your specific problem may be so we can come up with a workable solution...changing your sleeping position, modifying your work space, carrying things differently, posture changes, etc.
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Wishing you a tension and headache free November!

 In gratitude,

Bryn Rath
Tranquil Massage
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