It is a symptom that many suffer on a daily basis when sometimes it just appears, perhaps after a night's sleep. It's neck pain, yet it can be cured. And whilst there are two common causes, it is essential to make the distinction between each so that the correct therapy, such as massage is undertaken to relieve what can be very restrictive and painful.

The most common causes of neck pain can be divided between those caused by sprains, which is an injury to the ligaments of the spine and strains where the spinal muscles have been subjected to injury. If the pain being suffered is continual, this will be the result of inflammation and swelling of the affected tissue. A neck sprain can be the result of an injury which tears or stretches the neck's soft tissue whilst a neck strain is the result of not an immediate incident but one that has been allowed to occur over a period of time. Examples include the adoption of a poor posture which also includes a poor sleeping position or repetative stress syndrome, the cause of which is the overuse of a muscle.

A simple solution to ensure the elimination of one source of neck pain is to adopt and maintain the correct posture when either walking or sitting down. If additional means of support such as a lumbar cushion for a seat is required then it should be used. When asleep, it is important to remember that the neck requires proper support by both a quality mattress and pillows that are not too old. These simple techniques can help in the rehabilitation of the injured area and eliminating the potential for it to happen again, though often it is through the use of massage therapy that will have the effect of fully eliminating the symptoms.

How long it takes for relief to be felt from the neck pain will depend on, of course, the extent and severity of the injured tissue plus other factors can be of influence such as age and the overall health of the person. And whilst massage therapy can be very effective as a means of not only soothing the immediate discomfort and assisting in the repair of the tissue, several treatment sessions maybe required to attained sufficient relief from the injury.

So what can be done to bring about neck pain relief? It is important to recognise that often the most effective remedies are not those that give quick fixes such as the easy option of taking medication. By adopting neck massage techniques, blood circulation will be stimulated and coupled with the manipulation of the muscles, the healing process will be improved reducing the stress and tightness within the muscles. And by undertaking several massage sessions plus also simple steps to ensure correct posture is maintained, the problem of neck pain from strains should be greatly diminished. As for muscle sprains, these will always happen and in having the skill to give an effective neck massage, your talent will always been in demand.