The Head
The head the main sensory centre of the body, not only does our thinking and emotional brain reside here but our, sight, hearing, taste, and sense of small all provide our body with vital information on the outside world as control functions, and as feedback to our wellbeing and health status. The head is heavy, about 8 kilograms and supported by our neck which is always at work, with neck muscles in tension and active keeping our head upright and operational. Only at night is this vital support structure ‘at rest’ and recovering. The neck is also a conduit for the spine and the sensitive and vulnerable cervical vertebrae, which also supply nerve functions back onto the head, to control the jaw, lips, eyes etc.
The head is susceptible to all three sources of stress to the body, mechanical, emotional, and chemical and each symptom we see as Body Stress Release Practitioners, may result from one or more of these. Mechanical stressors to the head, maybe from bad sitting posture, excessive use of cells phone with the head bent forward, maybe a bad sleeping posture, and most commonly through overuse of computers and especially laptops, where the bent neck often results in severe stress to the body. Alternatively, the neck and head can be physically traumatised through injury from, bumps to the head, or from whiplash cause by car accidents or falls. Many of the chemicals in our food chain, water supply, contact substances such as lotions and make-up, and from chemical fragrances, may cause chemical stress reactions such as blurred vision, intense neck pain, severe unexplained headaches, or migraines, a sinus problem, such as itching, post-nasal drip and other irritations. Emotional stresses from work or home life may also manifest in the head. Worry and anxiety from a wide variety of life-style factors may cause locked in stress to the body, resulting in frequent and persistent headaches, general fatigue, and malaise, tight or stiff jaws, and a tight neck or stiff neck. Our body’s natural protective mechanism is to hunch and tighten the supporting should muscles which causes the neck to also tighten in this regard. Modern lifestyle is constantly placing the shoulders, neck and head at risk from stress and locked in tension.
Headaches and Migraines
Pain in the body is a key indicator that something is wrong or not quite right, and headaches in all their levels of intensity and frequency are a very frequent symptom we are able to assist with. You will read of headache cases where a woman had a severe headache for 30 years, and over a few weeks of BSR became pain free. Many clients come diagnosed by their doctor with migraines, again BSR is often able to assist in alleviating locked in stress as the root cause and Body Stress Release can become and active part of managing migraine pain. In the sessions the practitioner never diagnoses any medical complaint, and it is often difficult to determine the root cause of headaches. Through the release of locked-in tension in the cervical spine often we have success with headaches and migraine release. Migraines can be particularly debilitating and regular sessions of Body Stress Release may often mitigate and better manage the level and frequency of migraines. In the case studies we have compiled you will find many success stories concerning headaches and migraines.
Neck Pain, Neck Stiffness, or tight neck
Modern life is attacking our necks! Often using computer and communications devices, how often to you stretch or twist your neck to try to relieve a stiff neck or tight neck or find that the vertebra in the neck clicks or cracks. Often these issues and others in the head might be associated with a car accident or injury from whiplash which has caused trauma to the neck muscles. Often this protective stored tension does not reveal itself on X-Rays or scans. A nominally healthy neck – may well be causing severe neck pain, or neck tightness or neck stiffness. In every session your practitioner works on the neck region as we recognise its importance and susceptibility to stress. Often clients may awaken with a stiff neck, resulting from poor sleep posture, or by the end of a hard day go home with a tight neck or neck stiffness, causing the neck to have reduced mobility. Any excessive neck clicking, or neck joint cracking may also be a sign of stored tension causing undue muscle contraction to protect the neck from further damage.
Sinus Problems
The nasal cavity and sinus are key in breathing and regulating pressure inside the head. A painful sinus or post-nasal drip may be a sign or stored physical tension, or a symptom of some type of chemical stress. The nasal membrane is delicate and susceptible to airborne bacteria, viruses, and chemical fragrances; repeated infection in this area may be caused by reduced control nerve functions caused by lock-in tension often Body Stress release is able to assist with reducing nasal problems such as post-nasal drip, sinus pressure and sinus pain.
Jaw Pain and Jaw Stiffness
Our jaw is often a site for tension and stress resulting in a tight jaw or jaw stiffness and on occasions jaw pains. Nerves feeding and controlling the jaw comes from a nerve supply in the cervical area of the neck. We have identified this area as key source of potential for stored tension and you practitioner will work on this area each session. Often stress in this area comes from poor sitting positions and bad computer posture or emotional stress and anxiety. Within the first three sessions practitioners are likely to receive some relief from their jaw tension, sometimes it takes a little longer.
NOTE
**Information presented here is not qualified medical advice, as BSR is a non-medical and non-therapeutic technique. Nothing expressed herein creates a BSR Practitioner-Client relationship.