What causes tight suboccipital muscles?

What causes tight suboccipital muscles?

The suboccipital muscles commonly become tense and tender due to factors such as eye strain, wearing new eyeglasses, poor ergonomics at a computer workstation, grinding the teeth, slouching posture, and trauma (such as a whiplash injury).

How do you get rid of a Suboccipital headache?

When pushing on the suboccipital muscles, it may increase the intensity of eye pain. Suboccipital headaches are improved with over-the-counter NSAIDs, ice, stretching, therapy, electric, ultrasound, and cold laser treatments. Goals of treatment are to decrease muscle spasms of the suboccipital muscles and trapezius.

What is Suboccipital pain?

Pain from the suboccipital muscles commonly feels like a band wrapping around the head. Also, tension in these muscles may cause compression of a nerve that exits the base of the skull, and trigger pain that wraps over the head and above the eyes.

What is a Suboccipital headache?

One of the more common headaches is the suboccipital headache. At the base of the skull there is a group of muscles, the suboccipital muscles, which can cause headache pain for many people. These four pairs of muscles are responsible for subtle movements between the skull and first and second vertebrae in the neck.

How long does suboccipital release take?

The amount of traction that is used results in a force being applied to the tissues without producing significant movement of the structures. This position is then held until the tissues relax, which may take anywhere from 15 seconds to a minute.

How do you treat Suboccipital pain?

Suboccipital headaches are improved with over-the-counter NSAIDs, ice, stretching, therapy, electric, ultrasound, and cold laser treatments. Goals of treatment are to decrease muscle spasms of the suboccipital muscles and trapezius.

How do you release tightness at the base of your skull?

Apply gentle pressure from your fingertips at the base of your skull. This massage can help calm tight muscles and release tension. You can also place a rolled towel under your head and neck as you lie down on your back. The pressure from the towel can provide a gentle massage.

What is the best shape for self massage of the suboccipital?

The “Knobble II” by Trigger Point Products is a good shape for self-massage of the suboccipital area. What does Perfect Spot No. 1 feel like? In addition to generally producing the best quality of the “deep sweet ache” that most people crave from massage, trigger point referral into the head has a sedative feeling that can’t be beat.

What are the suboccipital muscles and how do they work?

The suboccipital muscles consist of four small muscles at your cervical spine. If they are tense or carry active trigger points, they can trigger headaches and restrict the mobility of the neck. You can relieve these points and tensions yourself. On this page, I’ll show you how.

Where is the best place to massage a tension headache?

Massage Therapy for Tension Headaches. Perfect Spot No. 1, in the suboccipital muscles of the neck, under the back of the skull. Trigger points (TrPs), or muscle “knots,” are a common cause of stubborn & strange aches & pains, and yet they are under-diagnosed.

What does trigger point referral from the suboccipitals feel like?

Just as trigger point referral elsewhere in the body often feels pleasantly “paralyzing,” creating a deadening or heavy feeling that usually spreads out and down like a heavy blanket, trigger point referral from the suboccipitals does this too — but into your head.