Disrupt: Pain In The Neck

Imagine this. The alarm rings and you reach for the stop or snooze button (no judgments here). Maybe that's when you notice it, your neck is not right. It isn't until you sit up that you understand the extent of the discomfort. Your neck really hurts.

Maybe now you try a few neck stretches, perhaps checking your range of motion. This is not good. But the real problem may be with what you do next.

Do you try to work on your neck muscles, perhaps in the shower? Set a reminder to call the chiropractor? Perhaps take a couple of Ibuprofen and move on? Blame your pillow? Does your pain in the neck become the primary topic of conversation for you this morning?

Please note that none of these responses is wrong. They all have virtues but, it is worth remembering that your neck is also the upper part of your skeletal structure. It begins at the point where we balance our heads (10 lbs or so) and extends well beyond the musculature we call the neck.

So perhaps a good disruption is to think of your body as systems rather than parts. Absent injury, a pain in the neck might begin in your lower back, in your rib articulation, in the hips, or perhaps even in the feet. Relief may be quickly attained through movement, expansion, and breath.

You can even try this if your neck doesn't hurt today. How is your body? What is your capacity for movement and ease today? Is your breathing accessible? Can you explore and expand your physical reality today?

In a real sense, we are our bodies. How well do you know yourself today?