Pain and limitation of range of motion in the neck region also originates from neuromuscular disorders. Many superficial and deep muscles are involved in the movement of the cervical spine. If physical or emotional stress becomes too great, these muscles can accumulate pathological tension and produce a painful limited range of motion, radiating pain down the arms, and producing sharp intense tension headaches. One of the difficult pathologies of the cervical spine region is Anterior Scalene Muscle Syndrome or Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. This occurs when the scalene muscles become so over-tensed that they compress the brachial nervous plexus (a branched network of nerves). If the pressure is great enough to obstruct veins and arteries, in addition to the radiating pain, blue coloration of the arm may be evident (evidence of disturbance in venous blood drainage), tingling in the fingers will be present (evidence of arterial blood supply insufficiency), etc. Using Medical Massage procedures, we can release tension and compression of the brachial plexus nerves and restore venous blood drainage and accelerate arterial blood supply to the extremities. We usually need only a short time to reach results. As you can see in this clinically difficult condition, it is not necessarily the compression of spinal nerves that causes the problems.

In Volume 4 of Boris Prilutsky’s Medical Massage DVD series, Boris offers detailed discussions and hands-on demonstrations utilizing Medical Massage techniques in the treatment of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.