This Neck Technique Can Change Your Life...Neck Pain, Tinnitus, Headaches, Brain Fog! Dr. Mandell

Summary

This script discusses the prevalence of neck problems and their impact on health. It identifies the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle as a common source of neck issues, linking it to various symptoms like headaches, tingling, and vertigo. The speaker introduces techniques like cross-fiber massage, PNF stretching, and chin tucks to alleviate pain and improve mobility. These methods aim to release muscle tension, increase blood flow, and reduce nerve compression, offering a proactive approach to neck health.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Millions of people worldwide suffer from neck problems, which can lead to various health issues.
• 🔍 The neck plays a crucial role in health as it houses the spine and nerves that connect to the brain.
• 🚨 Common neck issues include bulging or herniated discs, and degenerative conditions that increase with age.
• 🤕 Neck problems can cause headaches, neck pain, shoulder blade pain, and even symptoms like tingling, numbness, and vertigo.
• 🔄 It's essential to be proactive about neck health, especially when experiencing chronic pain or limited mobility.
• 💆‍♂️ One of the primary muscles involved in neck problems is the sternocleidomastoid (SCM), which can refer pain to other areas.
• 🔪 A recommended technique for neck pain is cross-fiber massaging, which can be done with a tool like a fork or the edge of a hand.
• 🤲 The use of a 'knife edge' for massaging the SCM muscle can help release tension and improve range of motion.
• 🧠 PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) stretching is a technique that can trick the brain into releasing tight muscles.
• 🔄 Combining cross-fiber and longitudinal massages can further enhance muscle release and alleviate pain.
• 👐 The anterior part of the SCM muscle near the throat can be a source of hidden problems, affecting swallowing and causing chronic coughing.

Q & A

What are some common neck problems that people experience?

Common neck problems include headaches, neck pain, pain in the shoulder blades, radiation of pain into the shoulders, chest or arm, tingling, numbness, cramping, tenus, ringing in the ears, vertigo, lightheadedness, and diminished range of motion.

Why is the neck important for our health?

The neck is important for our health because it's where the spine runs from the brain, housing the nerves that send messages throughout the body. Issues in the neck can lead to various health conditions.

What is a bulging or herniated disc and how is it related to neck problems?

A bulging or herniated disc refers to a condition where the intervertebral disc in the spine protrudes out of its normal space, potentially causing pressure on nerves and leading to pain and other symptoms in the neck and related areas.

What is the sternal clom mastoid (SCM) muscle and why is it significant?

The sternal clom mastoid (SCM) muscle is a muscle in the neck that attaches to the mastoid process near the ear. It's significant because it can compress nerves and blood vessels, leading to referred pain, limited head movement, and various sensations like tingling and numbness.

What is the purpose of massaging the SCM muscle?

Massaging the SCM muscle helps to release tension, reduce pain, and improve mobility by encouraging the muscle to relax and by increasing blood flow to the area.

What does 'cross fiber' mean in the context of massaging muscles?

Cross fiber refers to the technique of massaging across the grain of the muscle fibers, rather than along them, to effectively release muscle tension and knots.

What is PNF and how is it used to treat neck problems?

PNF stands for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, a technique that involves stretching a muscle to the point of resistance, then applying pressure against that stretch for a few seconds before releasing to increase the range of motion.

How can one use a utensil like a fork or spoon for neck massage?

One can use the edge of a fork or spoon as a tool to apply pressure and perform cross fiber massages on the neck muscles, providing relief similar to using one's hand but reaching areas that might be difficult with fingers.

What is the chin tuck exercise and how can it help with neck problems?

The chin tuck exercise involves pulling the chin back towards the chest, aligning the ears over the shoulders, and then tilting the head backward to stretch the muscles at the back of the neck and upper trapezius, which can help alleviate tension and headaches.

What are some symptoms that can be related to issues with the anterior SCM muscle?

Symptoms related to issues with the anterior SCM muscle can include chronic coughing, swallowing difficulties, throat clearing, and even jaw pain.

Why is it important to address neck pain and not let it persist?

It's important to address neck pain because persistent pain can lead to a loss of mobility, which if left untreated, can worsen and potentially lead to more serious conditions affecting the nerves, brain, and other interconnected body parts.

Outlines

00:00

🤕 Neck Health and Muscle Techniques

This paragraph discusses the prevalence of neck problems worldwide and their impact on health. It emphasizes the importance of the neck for spinal health and nerve function. The speaker introduces various symptoms related to neck issues, such as headaches, pain, and numbness. They then propose proactive measures, including muscle techniques, to alleviate neck pain. The focus is on the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle, which is commonly involved in neck problems. The speaker demonstrates a massage technique using a 'knife edge' to cross-fiber massage the SCM muscle, aiming to release tension and improve range of motion.

05:00

💆‍♂️ Advanced Techniques for Neck Muscle Relief

The speaker continues by introducing a technique called PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) to further release the SCM muscle. They explain how to 'trick the brain' by applying resistance during a stretch, which can help alleviate muscle tightness. The description includes a method of using a tool or the hand to apply pressure across the muscle fibers. The speaker also suggests a combination of cross-fiber and longitudinal massage to enhance muscle release. Additionally, they highlight the importance of addressing the anterior part of the SCM muscle, which can be related to various throat and swallowing issues.

10:01

📱 Posture and Texting Impact on Neck Health

This section addresses the modern-day impact of poor posture, particularly from texting and looking down at devices, on neck health. The speaker explains how the weight of the head, when positioned poorly, can exert additional stress on neck muscles. They introduce an exercise involving a chin tuck to stretch the muscles at the back of the neck and upper trapezius. The speaker also suggests using a utensil with a wider edge to apply pressure and stimulate the SCM muscles, recommending gentle repetition rather than forceful pressure. The goal is to alleviate tension and improve overall neck health.

15:03

🌟 Final Thoughts on Neck Muscle Release

In the final paragraph, the speaker summarizes the techniques and their potential benefits for various neck-related issues. They emphasize the interconnectedness of the neck muscles with the brain, ears, eyes, and face, highlighting the importance of releasing tension in these muscles for overall well-being. The speaker encourages viewers to practice the techniques and share them with others who might benefit. They conclude with a positive note, urging viewers to make the most of the information and to have a great day.

Keywords

💡Neck Problems

Neck problems refer to a variety of issues that can affect the neck area, including pain, discomfort, and limited mobility. In the video, it is mentioned that millions of people suffer from neck problems, which can be caused by poor posture, prolonged forward head posture, and incorrect sleeping positions. The video aims to address these issues by providing techniques to alleviate neck pain and improve neck health.

💡Sternal Clom Mastoid (SCM)

The Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) is a muscle located in the neck, which is involved in turning the head. The video explains that this muscle is often implicated in neck problems, as it can cause referred pain and discomfort when it becomes tense or contracted. The script describes how to identify and massage the SCM muscle to alleviate neck issues.

💡Bulging Discs

Bulging discs refer to a condition where the intervertebral discs in the spine protrude outward, potentially causing pain and discomfort. The video mentions bulging discs as one of the common issues affecting the neck, which can lead to various symptoms such as pain, numbness, and tingling in the neck and arms.

💡Degeneration

Degeneration, in the context of the video, refers to the wear and tear of the neck's structures, including the discs and vertebrae, as people age. This process can lead to neck pain and other related issues. The video emphasizes the importance of proactive measures to maintain neck health and prevent the worsening of degenerative conditions.

💡Neurological

The term 'neurological' pertains to the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. The video discusses how the SCM muscle's contraction can affect neurological function by compressing nerves and blood vessels, leading to referred pain and other symptoms. The video's techniques aim to reduce muscle tension and alleviate the neurological issues associated with neck problems.

💡Massage

Massage is a therapeutic technique used to manipulate muscles and soft tissues to alleviate pain and discomfort. The video script describes a specific massage technique called 'cross fiber' for the SCM muscle, which involves using the edge of the hand or a tool to apply pressure across the muscle fibers to release tension.

💡PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation)

PNF is a type of therapeutic exercise technique that uses specific movements and resistance to stimulate and facilitate muscle function. In the video, PNF is used to release tight muscles in the neck, particularly the SCM, by applying resistance and then stretching the muscle to 'trick' the brain into relaxing the muscle.

💡Mobility

Mobility refers to the range of motion in a joint or group of joints. The video discusses how neck problems can lead to a loss of mobility, particularly in the neck area. The various techniques presented aim to improve mobility by releasing tight muscles and allowing for greater movement.

💡Chronic

Chronic refers to a condition that is long-lasting or persistent. In the video, chronic neck problems are mentioned as a common issue that many people face, which can be exacerbated by poor posture and other lifestyle factors. The video provides techniques to help manage and alleviate chronic neck pain.

💡TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint)

TMJ refers to the joint that connects the jaw to the skull. The video script mentions that issues with the SCM muscle can affect the TMJ, causing problems such as jaw pain and difficulty swallowing. The techniques provided aim to release tension in the neck muscles that can contribute to TMJ issues.

💡Occipital

Occipital refers to the back part of the head, particularly the area where the skull meets the neck. The video discusses the importance of stretching and releasing the muscles in the occipital area to alleviate conditions like vertigo, dizziness, and headaches. The techniques provided target this area to improve overall neck health.

Highlights

Millions of people worldwide suffer from neck problems.

The neck is crucial for health as it connects the brain to the spine.

Neck issues can cause headaches, neck pain, and shoulder blade pain.

Neck problems can also lead to tingling, numbness, and vertigo.

The sternal clomastoid (SCM) muscle is commonly involved in neck issues.

SCM muscle contraction can cause referred pain down the arm and into the fingers.

Neck problems are often one-sided, affecting motion and causing discomfort.

Massage and cross-fiber friction can help release tight neck muscles.

Using a knife edge or utensil can assist in massaging hard-to-reach areas.

PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) is an effective technique for releasing muscle tension.

Combining knife edge with lateral neck pulls can enhance muscle release.

Longitudinal friction along the SCM muscle can aid in further muscle release.

Anterior SCM muscle work can alleviate issues like coughing spells and swallowing problems.

Poor posture from prolonged forward head posture can lead to increased neck stress.

Chin tucks and neck stretches can help alleviate tension and headaches.

Using a utensil to apply friction along the neck can stimulate the SCM muscles.

Neck muscles are interconnected with the brain, ears, eyes, and face.

Releasing neck muscles can lead to miraculous changes in various conditions.

These techniques can be shared to help others with similar neck issues.

Transcripts

there are millions and millions of

people worldwide who suffer with neck

problems or will have neck problems

everyone has to sleep our posture our

prolong forward head posture when we

text all the things we do wrong and the

neck is so important when it comes to

our health because this is where our

spine runs through from the brain the

brain SS up here

and it sends messages down the spine out

all these nerves these yellow nerves and

between the vertebrae we have discs and

many of us have heard of bulging discs

herniated discs as well as degeneration

that happens as we get older so the neck

is directly involved with many

conditions like headaches neck pain of

course pain in the shoulder blades

radiation of pain into the shoulders

chest or arm tingling numbness crank

cramping tenus ringing in the ears

vertigo

lightheadedness diminish range of motion

radicular pain that can radiate to

different areas but the key thing is

that we need to be able to become

proactive and do things for our muscles

when they act up so what I'm going to

show you today are some great techniques

that if you're having neck problems you

can't turn it the area is chronic no

one's helping you you've been on

medication which has side effects let me

show you some things where you can get

some quick results that's safe and very

effective one of the most common muscles

involved in our neck when it comes to

neck problems is called the sternal clom

mastoid the SCM if you turn your head to

one side you'll notice that big muscle

come out and what's important about that

muscle is it attaches to the mastoid

process on the side of our temporal area

and that's where our hearing is and when

this compresses downwards this has a

direct relationship with the brain has a

direct relationship with nerves that can

become referred meaning that as this

muscle contracts you may have a hard

time turning your head to one side or

the other but you can feel referred pain

down the blade into the arms into the

fingers you can feel tingling numbness

cramping aching as well as fatigue and

tiredness because neurologically this is

very very much involved so the first

thing I will tell you is that when we

have problems in our neck usually it's

one-sided so I'm going to focus on my

left side then I'll go on to another

part after one of the best things we can

do to a muscle is massage it yes but the

cross fiber it meaning that if the SC

muscle as I turn here sticks out it goes

straight down and generally if we push

along that muscle we're going to say ow

that hurts you'll notice when you turn

your head one way or the other you'll

notice your motion will be very

restricted on one side versus the other

and your motion should be all the way

over where your chin can go over your

shoulder and on the other side as well

and many of you cannot do that including

myself on one side so the best thing we

can do number one is we will make a

knife edge just like this this side of

our our hand and by the way whenever we

are going to work our muscles if your

skin is not lubricated you can use a

little lotion a little massage oil

little avocado oil olive oil any type of

oil a little bit just put it on your

neck but what I like you to do is just

make a knife edge and you're going to go

just like this across the muscle across

fiber it and when you do it it's going

to be sore over certain areas but you

kind of work all the way down and you

can work all the way up just cross fiber

you see what I'm doing right here just

go across the muscle because this has a

a way of telling the brain to release

that muscle and that's what we want to

do because that's going to get you out

of pain because when those muscles

squeeze they squeeze on those nerves as

well it squeezes on the blood vessels

affecting the blood supply

and it becomes a whole vicious cycle

so as you talk about a knife edge you

don't have to use a knife if you have

silverware where you have a spoon or a

fork but you see I want a really

thickened area nothing too thin because

want a little thickened area it's is

fairly Sim similar but I'm going to go

with the forks a little bit bigger and

we're going to use this Edge just like

this too you can take it like this you

can cross fiber just like that just

cross fiber it you can use this as well

or you can use a knife edge of your own

hand I like to use your hand but

sometimes if you have an area that's

really in there you can't get it in your

hand you can use a little tool and you

can work it like this just kind of come

across that area okay now when a muscles

contract and you are getting a lot of

pooling on that area one of my favorite

techniques is called PNF it's a

neuromuscular re ation type of technique

that we always want to release that

muscle so let's say here it's tight I

come over to the side I can't well so

let's challenge it so take your hand to

your involved side uh we're going to

pull away from it so if I pull away as

I'm stretching this muscle it hurts I

can't stretch it anymore but here's what

you want to do we want to trick the

brain and how do we trick the brain well

we're going to take our head and push it

into our hand for 5 seconds to three

four five as we resist with that hand

and then we relax it then we pull over a

little bit more then we'll push back

against that hand as a hand resists not

allowing us to go back into it holding

it in that position as we're getting

tension in there after a five seconds

then we can pull a little bit more so

you get the hint that's what you want to

do it's a great technique you can do it

anywhere you can do it in any muscle is

that when the muscles contract you lose

Mobility when you lose Mobility you

don't want leave that loss of Mobility

alone because it will worsen and that's

why we need to free it up so one of my

favorite techniques that I really

believe you're going to see great

changes immediately is that we're going

to go back to that knife edge again as

we did before like this okay but as we

do that knife edge we're going to go

across the muscle but we're going to

pull it the opposite way as we go

across okay and now we're going to start

a little higher up and we're going to

work your way down so every time you

pull the neck

across you're going across with that

knife edge over that muscle you're going

sideways pull the neck over going

sideways and it really hurts good yes

you can go as slow as you want as fast

as you want but slower the better and

just pull over as you knife edge it at

the same time

because now we're doing a double whammy

where we're releasing the muscle cross

fibering it at the same time we're

sending neurological impulses back to

the brain the brain's going to tell that

muscle to relax even more so now let's

focus with that same side of the neck

right now you should feel quite a bit of

difference it should be a lot looser but

this time after we cross fiber it we can

go along uh longitudinally the same

direction as that muscle and we could

can still use our knife edge and as we

pull over we're going to start on top

and we're going to run down the muscles

we pull over so now we're going to work

the direct

longitudinal direction of the muscle as

we're pulling over going down okay

you'll notice that your motion will

continue to get better and those muscles

will continue to release and it will get

so much easier as we're releasing that

whole muscle now what I'd like you to do

I want you to work the anterior front

part of the SCM muscle because generally

what we were doing now is that we were

over the whole base of the muscle but

you have specific nerves that go into

the throat the front of the neck as well

as other areas back into the skull

particularly on the temporal region on

the anterior part so if you feel that

muscle as you go in down it down that

area I want you to come a little more

forward on that muscle now now as you

notice when you pull across and as you

go forward on that muscle not directly

on your throat but just off of that area

where you're on the muscle you should

not be choking or coughing if you go on

the front part of the muscle and you'll

feel it as you come down it's going to

be real tender that's where a lot of the

Hidden problems stay right there right

in the front of that muscle right there

as we go right down it just like this in

front of that muscle those anterior

fibers that's where a lot of our

problems occur now you'll

notice you're not only going to feel

release and all that motion come back

but if you have like coughing spells

problem

swallowing all of those conditions can

be related to the SCM muscle and you're

going to notice many of you will notice

not all but if you're having chronic

problems as we mentioned anywhere from

tenidis to coughing to always clearing

your throat to uh problems even up in

the jaw area these anterior SCM muscles

are a big thing because it can really

make a huge difference to get you

feeling better so let's go to the back

of the scold now because what's quite

common as we spend a lot of time texting

and looking down our head bigh weighs

about 12 lb and every inch we go forward

it's an additional 10 lb so if you're

doing this 2 in forward you've got 40

pounds of uh uh 30 something pounds of

stress being pulled on those muscles and

what you're doing is you're eventually

going to have this hunching this little

uh Hunchback that could eventually start

to occur you may notice that the disc

may start to degenerate quicker the

nerves may become more pinched and

irritated you may start getting more

headaches

uh you can start feeling more laded more

dizziness it can affect your eyes

because a greater oipal nerve root comes

comes underneath the skull goes over the

head behind the eyes so if you notice

that you're getting a lot of tension

behind your neck in your traps just

maybe getting those headaches a great

little exercise is just bring your chin

like can do in a chin tuck where your

ears are over your shoulders kind of

like this and leave your chin where it's

at take your hands behind your head as

your chin is tucked in and bring it over

as your chin will eventually touch your

neck and as you do so you'll feel an

amazing stretch

behind right here where my thumbs are

tapping behind the skull because those

muscles in the back of the upper

trapezius here attaches right behind the

skull area so tucking the chin in

bringing it over and around like

this and pulling downwards

you're going to feel nice stretching and

hold that there a good 15 20 seconds do

that several times and what you can also

do is while you do so bring your chin

over to the left and then do

it and you'll feel one side and then

bring your chin to the right keep it

tucked in come over and

around and you'll feel a stretch on the

other side so you work the whole

occipital area all across the skull

underneath all underneath the oxit all

under here that is so directly tied into

conditions of vertigo dizziness could be

tenus that ringing in the ears uh those

headaches behind the eyes you'll notice

uh you feel like it's compressed doing

that stretch can really do great things

for you so let's grab your fork or your

spoon whichever has a wider area here um

because what we can also do is we can

take take this Edge right here we want

lubricant on there or some oil on there

and we can just go down that side of the

neck like this we could pick different

points but we can extend our head to

this side and

backwards and this really opens it up as

we extend and go backwards and as you

come down that muscle extend and go

backwards you're going to get a lot of

stimulation on those SCM

muscles and you don't need to put push

too

hard it's the repetition probably only

about a minute minute and a half is all

you need because you don't want to

over kill the muscle or the skin but as

you do this and you can start turning

your head in little circles just kind of

rotate around so as you rotate around

like I'm doing here you can really get a

lot of those fibers in there you can be

creative but remember these muscles

are the rain that's holding everything

together these muscles in the side you

have the scaliness muscles but as we

focus down these muscles you're going to

work more than just the SCM you're going

to work a multitude of those muscles and

you want to let those muscles breathe

because when you're sleeping incorrectly

if your head is propped up or it's down

too far as we're studying or looking

down on our phone or our computer we're

hunched over with our rounded shoulders

these muscles are

crying so if we spend a little bit of

love and give it to our

muscles and do those little simple

techniques particularly if you have that

stiff neck if you just woke up if you're

having chronic neck problems those

little techniques I just reviewed with

you explore with them play with them you

may have chronic conditions as I said

like tenidis and vertigo and

lightheadedness and chronic headaches

there are so many of those issues that

people are complaining about that's all

related to these neck muscles because

those nerves are all interconnected with

the brain and the ears and the eyes and

I really hope that this technique can

help you so I hope this video serves you

well utilize these techniques it doesn't

matter what kind of neck issue you have

you're going to release these muscles

you're going to feel better these nerves

are all tied in Back to the brain to the

ears to the eyes to the face to the TMJ

it's all connected release these muscles

and you're going to see miraculous

changes share it with those that can

benefit if it's a friend a loved one

you'll be doing them a great

favor please leave your comments below

I'd be very anxious to see how well

you've done and most important make it a

great day I'm Dr Allan

mandelle