Muscle Tension Headache Pain Relief Stretch Routine

Transcript:

“Hi, I’m Dr. Chris. I’m a practicing chiropractor and the founder of Muscle Care. I see 55,000 patient visits a year in my practice. We understand pain. If you or anyone you know suffers from muscle tension headaches, we know it often comes from the neck or the shoulders. Give them this mini-series of stretching; it will help tremendously.

The super six rules to stretch are:

1. Warm up.
2. Be gentle.
3. No sharp pain.
4. Breathe.
5. Always do both sides.
6. Don’t bounce and always hold for at least 30 seconds until you feel the muscle relaxed.

Now that we’re warm, let’s get some relief in our neck and shoulders to help those muscle tension headaches.

Stretch Routine:

1. Side of Neck Stretch:

• Feet shoulder-width apart.
• Pelvis square to the ground, hips under shoulders, ears over shoulders.
• Keep nose straight ahead, tilt right ear to right shoulder (45°).
• Do not let the nose point down.
• Repeat on the other side.

1. Back of Neck Stretch:

• Feet shoulder-width apart, pelvis square.
• Shoulders over hips, ears over shoulders.
• Rotate face to the right, jaw parallel to the ground.
• If sharp pain or dizziness, back off.
• Tilt ear to shoulder, keep nose straight ahead, rotate nose up to the left.
• Hold arms behind you for a deeper stretch.
• Repeat on the other side.

1. Front of Chest Stretch:

• Right arm parallel to the ground, hook hand onto a wall.
• Extend fingers backward to stretch the fascia of the forearm and hand.
• Feet planted square, rotate body away from the stretch (right hand on the wall, turn face and torso to the left).
• Repeat on the other side.

1. Rotator Cuff and Back of Shoulder Stretch:

• Right arm across the body, keep it parallel to the ground.
• Grab the elbow with the left hand, pull close to the body.
• Turn torso, face, and neck in the direction of your fingers.
• Repeat on the other side.

1. Hip Flexor Stretch:

• Use a chair for support.
• Stretch hip flexor by pulling the left leg back, aiming to get the thigh parallel to the ground.
• Hinge at the waist and move forward, creating a “T” shape with your body.

1. Jaw and Temporalis Muscle Stretch:

• Sit or stand neutrally, ears over shoulders.
• Open mouth as wide as possible without pain, hold for 30 seconds.
• To reduce tension behind the jaw and around the ears, sit tall, open mouth, and protrude lower jaw gently forward.
• Hold for 30 seconds, repeat as necessary.

1. Hamstring Stretch:

• Use a chair for support if needed.
• Legs shoulder-width apart, almost straight, slight bend if necessary.
• Hinge at the waist, move closer to the chair.
• If balance issues are significant, stretch hamstrings seated on the floor.

“I hope you feel better. Continue your pain-free journey by accessing my full stretching series and share the relief of pain and stress with friends and family. If you want to feel even better, try Muscle Care, the new subtopic all-natural evidence-based pain, spasm, and inflammation reliever. It’s easy to use, simple to put on, no mess, no fuss. It’s a roll-on. I’m Dr. Chris, and have a great day.”