Are you feeling excruciating pain in your neck and shoulders? If yes, you are not alone. Most of us who work from home go through the same thing because of poor posture and uncomfortable settings.
Even if you lead an active life or are into sports, overexertion of muscles can also cause neck and shoulder pain. So, it is something very normal and treatable.
Many people would tell you to take painkillers and get rid of this problem immediately. However, we would always encourage you to go for a therapeutic massage.
But what is it, and how can you get one in your home?
Continue reading for a detailed answer to your burning questions.
What Causes Neck and Shoulder Pain?
Before we dig into the solution of the problem, let’s explore the different reasons that may cause pain in your neck and shoulder.
Injury in Soft Tissues
Your soft tissues are your tendons, ligaments, and muscles. An injury in these tissues can lead to headaches, stiffness, and muscle spasms.
There could be many reasons behind this injury. For instance, if you have been overworked at a gym or failed to hold a weight properly, you may suffer a muscle strain that may cause excruciating pain in your shoulders and neck.
Whiplash
Did you fall or suffer a blow to your head recently? If yes, you might be suffering from whiplash, which could have led to pain in your neck.
Whiplash occurs when your neck suffers from a sudden movement that, as a result, tears your ligaments and muscles. This problem has many symptoms, such as neck stiffness, headache, and blurred vision.
If not treated on time, Whiplash can haunt your body for many months.
Pinched Nerve
Also called cervical radiculopathy, pinched nerves can cause severe pain, which can also hurt your shoulders. This condition often appears after an injury or as a sign of aging resulting from a spine change.
Pinched nerves can produce symptoms such as weakness in your shoulder muscles and continuous tingling in your hands.
Wrong Sleeping Position
Unfortunately, your bad posture and wrong sleeping position can also cause neck and shoulder pain. For instance, sleeping on a high pillow or using a computer for long hours might strain your tendons and muscles.
Other Reasons
Pain in your shoulders, jaw, and neck is often a sign of a heart attack. Besides, aching shoulders are one of the major signs of angina.
So, considering the number of reasons that can cause this pain, it is clear that anyone can experience this problem. That said, it shouldn’t be taken lightly.
If you are going through unbearable pain and discomfort in your shoulder and neck, it's time you take action and opt for a therapeutic massage.
What is a Therapeutic Massage?
Therapeutic massage is a practice that involves rubbing and pressing your underlying muscles and skin. It not only helps you get your desired relaxation and pain relief but is also quite beneficial for your mental health.
This massage therapy is an answer to all the discomforts caused by muscle strains in your shoulders and neck. And the good news is that you do not even need a therapist to reap all the benefits of this amazing pain relief solution.
You can use your hands to enjoy the rewards of this massage therapy. A handheld percussion massager can be your number one savior.
This versatile tool can provide ultimate comfort within minutes and can make you feel healthy again.
What is a Handheld Percussion Massager?
Have you ever come across the term “percussion therapy?” This technique works like magic. It helps with muscle recovery and boosts blood circulation, thus easing you from pain in any part of your body.
-What’s more? It reduces muscle tiredness and soreness in your neck and shoulder and makes you feel fit again.
So, how does this therapy work? It revolves around the power of strokes that penetrate deep inside your tissues and result in rapid pain relief.
It isn’t possible to enjoy this therapy without a handheld percussion massager. This machine features a powerful motor and has a tip in its front.
When switched on, the tip rubs and jiggles your muscles, which helps increase blood flow. This way, the blood circulation to your target area increases and accelerates the recovery process.
One of the best things about this device is that you can use it at home without assistance. Below we have shared a step-by-step method to utilize the full potential of a handheld percussion massager.
How to Use a Handheld Percussion Massager to Get Rid of Neck and Shoulder Pain
- Firstly, charge the massager before you start the therapeutic massage.
- Once it is ready to work, hold it at a 45-degree angle and place the head facing towards your shoulder or neck muscles.
- Since you aim to activate your muscles, run the massager slowly and gradually increase the speed.
- Make sure not to use the machine on a muscle for more than two minutes.
- While massaging your neck and shoulder, keep the tip away from your head and face.
- Move the massager from your shoulder blade area to the levator scapulae.
- Make sure to never use a massager on the front area of your neck. Please use it on the backside only.
- After achieving some degree of relaxation, switch off the machine and give your body some time to recover.
There are so many handheld percussion massagers available, but Exogun DreamPro produces an efficient performance every time. This machine utilizes pulsing strokes to rejuvenate your body and mind. 
In addition, this is a compact machine that is also lightweight and user-friendly. The ergonomic design makes it easy to carry the massager and use it, which is exactly what you want to achieve to find relief under your roof. 
You can conveniently work through the massager’s six speed adjustments and accomplish your goals of complete therapy. Of course, it is always wise to run the unit at a low speed when using it on the neck and shoulder muscles, but you can always adjust the speed according to your comfort.
Exogun DreamPro is an affordable handheld percussion massager. So, if you can’t afford a trip to a therapist, you can always use this alternative and find an ultimate relief from your pain.
Also read: How To Not Get A Bruise After A Deep Tissue Massage | Tips And Tricks
Other Ways to Give Therapeutic Massage At Home
Now it's understandable that not everyone reading this article might have a handheld massager right now. But, in that case, should you take those tasteless and dangerous painkillers?
No, not at all. You can always follow the self-massage techniques below and see if they can give you some relief.
Neck Pain Self-Massage
If you feel a certain kind of tightness and pain in your neck, you shouldn’t ignore it.
- Keep your back and neck straight while lowering down your shoulders.
- Then move your fingers around the neck and locate the muscles that might be causing you this discomfort.
- Once located, press your fingers on the muscles.
- You can increase or decrease the pressing pressure according to your tolerance.
- Now move your fingers in a circular motion.
- Move them clockwise and then anti-clockwise.
- Keep doing this for a maximum of five minutes.
This technique can also help deal with the knots in the neck. Once you are done with this procedure, let your neck relax and don’t move it. Then, you can cover it with a warm cloth to heat the neck area and elevate recovery.
While you can’t run a handheld percussion massager on the front part of your neck, you can always use your fingers to deal with the pain in this area. This area has many muscle attachments, so moving and pressing your fingers above the clavicle area will help you eliminate the possible knots.
Shoulder Pain Self-Massage
Pain in your shoulder can ruin the mechanism of your whole body. So, instead of waiting for it to vanish, you can follow the steps below for a therapeutic massage:
- Place three fingertips on the area where your shoulder and neck meet.
- Now press our fingers with a certain degree of pressure and hold for a few seconds.
- Remove the fingers as soon as your neck muscles feel relaxed.
- Move the fingertips around the shoulder blade and repeat.
- As soon as you are done, roll the shoulders backward and forwards.
- Make sure to do it slowly to prevent any further strain.
- Repeat the process if required.
You can also take this therapy to the next level by rotating your head up and down. For instance, you can hold and press your elevator area’s right side using your hand.
Simultaneously, look forward and bend your knee without losing the pressure. You can repeat the same steps with the left side of your levator area as well.
Other than a therapeutic massage, you can also find some comfort through some exercises.
Neck Stretches
- Start with sitting in a very relaxed position.
- Then move your head towards your chi and keep the posture for 10 seconds.
- Now slowly move your head back towards the ceiling and hold it for another 10 seconds.
- Tilt your head towards your shoulder and keep the pose for 10 seconds.
- Repeat the above step for your left side.
- Start all over again.
Shoulder Stretch
- Stand still in your doorway.
- Place your hands on the door’s frame and bend your arms.
- Now lean forward.
- Do it until you feel your collar bone stretch.
- Hold the position for 10 seconds.
Benefits of Therapeutic Massage
Other than providing you relief from your neck and shoulder pain, a therapeutic massage proves quite beneficial in:
- Reducing anxiety
- Proving quick stress relief
- Easing muscle tension
- Improving sleep quality
- Reduces muscle tiredness
- Strengthening your lower back
- Helping fight depression
- Enhancing blood circulation
- Relieving sports injuries
In addition, there is a direct relationship between good cardiovascular health and therapeutic massage.
This technique helps to reduce blood pressure. Moreover, it also helps establish better posture to avoid any further pain in your shoulders and neck.
When Should You See a Doctor?
Therapeutic massage is a great way to find a solution to your muscle pain, but there are times when even this therapy fails to produce positive results. Sometimes self-massage can worsen your symptoms, and that’s the least you want.
In that case, it is always wise to see a doctor than to consume medications yourself. You can also consult a therapist if the pain is unbearable and your range of motion has become limited.
Give this priority because the less you waste time, the faster you will recover.
A specialist will take your history and perform a physical examination.
He might also ask for your symptoms and may recommend an arm squeeze test. This test will help find the pain’s origin.
Some doctors also recommend additional tests such as x-rays, blood tests, and MRI scans. And then, depending on the results, they will then give you some medicines and suggest exercises if the pain is treatable at home. 
But if it isn’t, you might have to go through an immediate treatment or surgery to deal with a torn muscle or tendon. And that’s completely safe.
Final Words
We hope this article has helped you understand everything about a therapeutic massage, and you can’t wait to try this at home. Of course, if you already have a handheld percussion massage, you should charge it and make it work its magic.
However, if you don’t, you can always purchase the Exogun DreamPro massager online and avail the benefits of this amazing unit.
Make sure you are aware of the neck or shoulder muscle that’s causing the pain. This is because you can’t afford to worsen your situation. Moreover, don’t run the massager on the front of your neck.
You may also like: The Ultimate and Safe Guide to Muscle Percussion Therapy