7 exercises for neck (and emotional pain )

Did you know that the cervicals are intimately related to your emotions? These exercises will help you connect with your emotions and relieve pain.

It is no coincidence that neck pain appears when we are stressed or worried. Stress, stiffness, lack of confidence end up loading the vertebrae and express themselves in the form of pain. We can relieve it by performing these stretches and improving our posture, but we need to go one step further.

WHY DO MY NECK HURT? THE EXCITEMENT BEHIND EVERY VERTEBRA

Finding out which vertebra comes from the discomfort will give us the information to solve the discomfort. What does pain mean based on your location?

• The 1st cervical vertebra supports the head. If I worry too much about a problem, my head will weigh more and more until it hurts. So, I will have to learn to trust and stay calm.
• Pain in the 2nd vertebra is related to the absence of emotional expression. If I lock my frustrations inside, learning to connect with emotions can be the solution.
• The 3rd vertebra usually fails when I feel like I can’t count on anyone. It will be necessary to regain trust in others and establish nurturing bonds.
• The 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th vertebrae hurt when I hear something that makes me angry and I don’t express it. Then aggressiveness arises. I can communicate my anger through writing, music, painting…

SIMPLE EXERCISES TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR NECK

Providing local heat and performing this series of exercises once a day (without straining, if you feel pain; you have to stop) will help. Breathing properly too, because better diaphragm mobility benefits the nervous system by relaxing shoulders and neck.

1 CERVICAL ROTATION OF THE SPINE

1. Standing, with your feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other, place your back upright with your shoulders relaxed and grasp behind your sword the elbow on the side of which you turn your head with the opposite hand.
2. Make the gesture of wanting to look at what’s behind you. Turn your head until you feel the stretching taking place but without sharp or stabbing pains.
3. Repeat the same thing to the other side, exchanging the position of your hands.

Synchronize breathing with movement. Each time you inhale it turns to one side, and with the exhalation it returns to the center. Let the breath occur deeply but naturally, without overdoing it.

2 LATERAL NECK LIFT

1. Sitting on the edge of a chair with her back erect, her shoulders relaxed and her feet parallel to each other. Put one hand on the thigh and the other on the head so that the middle finger is just above the ear on the opposite side.
2. Perform a lateral tilt of the head without tilting the trunk, as if wanting to touch the shoulder with the ear.
3. Repeat to the other side and with the other hand. Keep stretching for 5 nasal breaths, slow and deep, but without overdoing it.

Do not pull with your hand, do not exert extra force to tilt your head.

3 OBLIQUE NECK LIFT

1. Sitting on the edge of a chair, place your back upright with your shoulders relaxed. The legs are separated in the width of the hips and the feet parallel to each other. Place one hand on the thigh and the other on the head, so that the palm of the hand covers the crown area.
2. Perform a cervical rotation and flexion by bringing the chin closer to the shoulder of the hand that is on the head. The movement is as if we want to bring our eyes to the hip. Keep stretching for 5 slow and deep nasal breaths.
3. Repeat by changing hands and sides.

It combines a movement of flexion and rotation, as if you wanted to look at your hip.

4 STRETCHING OF THE SPINE

1. Sitting on the edge of a chair, place your back upright and your feet parallel to each other. Interlace your fingers above the nape of your neck and bring your elbows as close as you can to each other.
2. Bring the chin towards the chest, keeping the back straight at all times.
3. Pull your shoulders back slightly for 5 slow, deep, natural nasal breaths.

You should not perform more force than that exerted by the same weight of the arms.

5 ISOMETRIC EXERCISES

1. Sitting on the edge of a chair, place your back upright with your shoulders relaxed and your feet parallel to each other.
2. Place your palm on your temple on the same side. The head performs a force opposite to that of the hand. It involves contracting the muscles without moving the joints.
3. Perform the exercise on both sides, changing hands, for 5 nasal breaths, slow and deep in each of the positions.

This exercise can also be done by placing your hand on your forehead or on the back of your neck.

6 BACK STRETCH

1. Sit on the floor with the sacrum firmly attached to the wall. Bring the soles of your feet together, hug them with your hands and let your knees fall sideways.
2. Flex the trunk forward bringing the forehead towards the feet, leaving shoulders and neck relaxed. Hold the pose for 5 nasal breaths.

7 OPENING OF THE THROAT

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet flat on the floor. Place several cushions under your back, in line with your shoulders.
2. Drop your head back to rest on your crown. Hold the pose for 5 nasal breaths and slow.

Use cushions about 10 cm thick, but adjust them according to your needs. Avoid stabbing sensations.