Posted by lc bob on May 25, 1999 at 19:52:16:
In Reply to: post episodic neck tightness posted by Mary on May 25, 1999 at 04:08:51:
i won't recount all my lengthy previous posts. suffice it to say i think this is all right on.
i use about 3 or 4 stretches to relax the muscle under the trapezius - it attaches to the base of the skull behind the ear - it's called the sternocleidomastoideus (!!) ... i swear that's where my CH starts.
like Rob, i stretch it during and between attacks to abort/prevent them. my theory is that the trapezius and sternocleidomastoideus muscles are cramping and pressuring the nerves beneath them (the trigeminal and cervical ganglion) which become injured and emit histamines (as in watering eyes and stuffy nose) in response to the injury/pressure. those are the muscles i imagine relaxing when i use ... [jeez, don't say meditation, bob] ... when i use imagination to fight the pain.
and here's an interesting tid ... when i started thinking that it was muscle cramping ... i searched looking for the causes of muscle cramping. y'know what? they don't know what causes cramps!! (just what DO they know??) anyway, the only thing i found was ways to alleviate cramping ... hydration (water) and oxygenation!!!!! boy was THAT an eye opener.
i truly believe this is based in muscle cramps/spasms/tension (notice i did NOT say stress!!) ... big question for me is, "why the tension on only one side?" something on my CH side makes it more prone to cramping than the other side. it's a mystery.
PF=>HR!!
-lcb