How scalene muscle trigger points can cause pain all the way to the fingers
Trigger points are a pain in the neck.
If you were experiencing severe pain in your hand, would it occur to you that the problem was actually in your neck? We all know the phrase “a pain in the neck,” but if you have myofascial trigger points in your neck muscles, that’s probably the last place you’ll feel anything.
Because trigger points in the neck muscles send pain to many other parts of the body, they are very difficult to diagnose and many people continue to suffer agonizing pain or other symptoms because they cannot find the source of the problem.
The most common muscle group to experience triggers in the neck is the scalene group, three muscles known as the scalene anterior, scalene middle, and scalene posterior. These muscles attach the neck bones to the top of the rib cage, and trigger points in any one of them can cause pain in a variety of places.
Impact of triggers on the neck
The pattern of pain caused by spasms in the scalene muscle group varies greatly from person to person, and can also change from day to day for the same person.
In general, pain from scalene triggers will radiate up the chest, down the arms and hands, to the upper back, and to the sides of the head. Shooting pains in the arms and hands are common, but shooting pains in the upper body are more likely. Scalene muscle strain can also cause a myriad of other miscellaneous symptoms, such as:
- Headaches
- sinus problems
- Thoracic outlet syndrome
- tennis elbow
- voice changes
- hearing problems
- Difficulty to swallow
- tooth bread
Treating Neck Triggers
Stretching the scalene muscles can be very beneficial, especially to combat headaches, but before attempting the stretches, it’s a good idea to try to massage existing trigger points so that stretching doesn’t make them worse.
The scalene muscles can be found within a triangular area between the clavicle, trapezius shoulder muscle, and throat muscles in a V shape. This area should be massaged very gently with the pads of the fingers rather than the tips. Use small circles to find the bands of muscle and loosen if you feel a pulsing from the carotid artery or jugular vein.
Massaging this area may feel strange and a bit uncomfortable at first, and pressing a trigger point may initially feel hot and sharp. However, with gentle pressure, you should feel an intense pain that radiates throughout your arm, shoulder, and head, indicating that the massage is taking effect.
Once you have deactivated the triggers within the scalene muscles through massage, a daily stretch can be very effective in relieving symptoms. The best stretch for the scalene muscles is very simple:
- In a standing position, clasp your hands behind your back.
- Drop your left shoulder and tilt your head to the right.
- Turn your head back until you feel a stretch in the scalene muscles.
- Hold for ten to fifteen seconds and repeat on the other side.
Prevention of trigger points in the neck
One of the main causes of myofascial points in the scalene muscle group is poor posture, especially sitting incorrectly at a desk all day. Continually tilting the head up or down, twisting to the side, or dropping the shoulders forward can put excessive stress on the scalene muscles that contribute to trigger points.
These tips on correct posture at your desk should help reduce pain caused by neck strain:
- Make sure your computer screen is at the correct height so you don’t have to look up or down. If you’re using a laptop, make sure you have a separate docking station or monitor.
- Make sure your computer screen is directly in front of you so you don’t have to crane your neck to see it and you can keep your head in a neutral position.
- Use a lower back support that will automatically pull your shoulders back and prevent you from slumping forward on your desk.
- Adjust your seat height so your feet are flat on the floor, or use a footstool. If your feet are too far off the floor, you’ll lean forward to compensate, shifting your upper body and increasing pressure on your neck.
Pain and other problems caused by triggers in the scalene muscles can be very difficult to diagnose because the only place that doesn’t seem to be affected is the neck. However, gentle massage of the scalene area and regular stretching, combined with good posture, can work together to limit the impact of trigger points in the neck.
