Little neck muscles, big pain. Release the subocciptal muscles.

Suboccipital Muscles

Suboccipitals are buried deep under the neck muscles.  They move the head when you say yes or no throw your head back to laugh
Releasing the neck muscles will help you feel the short thick muscles.
Massage the long neck muscles from the base of your head in long strokes to the shoulders.
Next pinch and roll the muscles between your fingers.  As you do these motions, pull the muscles gently away from the neck.

Pinch and roll across the top of your shoulders(opposite hand to opposite shoulder).
If the muscles are really tight, reach back to your shoulder blade as far back as possible and rake your fingers to the front of the body. Work from arm towards spine.
You might feel the ropy muscles of the neck right next to the spine.  Rake across them as well working upwards towards the head.
Repeat as many times as necessary. Softening the neck and shoulders will help you get under the neck muscles to the subocciptials.
Now lets find those suboccipital muscles.
Lying down will get you out of gravity and relax the neck muscles.


They attach under the base of the head(occiput) to C1 and C2. Notice the vertical direction of two muscles and the diagonal(oblique) direction of the others.


Use your thumbs to stroke these small wide muscles.
Slightly moving the chin up and down, left and right and chin to the right and up and left and up.
This will help you find the oblique muscles.

Use your fingertips to press into the muscles, while staying off the bones.   The movements are ever so small.
Trigger points in these muscles are usually due to poor posture.  Pressing into the TP wait for signs of release(pulsing) until it stops.
I like to release my suboccipitals first thing in the morning.  With repeated practice you can release them quickly and easily, sitting, standing or lying down.

Benefits include:

• Increase blood flow
• more range of motion
• relief from a stiff neck
• relief from headache or neck tension
• relief of eye tension or pain

Hope this helps!  Leave me a comment or question I would love to hear from you .  Annie

Oh my aching back: Neck pain relief

Stress is the main cause of TMJ.  Let me give you a craniosacral technique that will help to relieve pain and tension at the base of the head, where the head and C1 meet.  It is called the
atlanto-occipital region.


There are many muscles and ligaments that attach to these bones.
TMJ/tension in muscles of chewing, sleeping with the wrong pillow, neck and shoulder tension can be relieved with this simple technique over time.

Let's begin.  Find the ridge on the back of your head just behind your ears.  Look around a bit, might be higher or lower.  You are looking for a ridge that runs  from right to left between the ears.

Next find the bumps/mastoid process, at the base of your head and just above your neck vertebrae.
Feel just behind your earlobe.

Roll a hand towel and place between these two boney landmarksor use your fingers.  I  spread out my fingers and place them from ear to ear just under the ridge.  Let the weight of your head rest on your fingertips.

Start our with a small diameter roll.
Let the weight of the head sink into the roll.
Wait for softening in this area to occur.
You are accessing the fascia inside and outside of the cranial base.  The fascia will unwind in the muscles and surrounding structures.
If you feel pain in your neck - support it with a towel or stop the procedure.  Find something to support your neck and continue.

Your towel roll could be to high, unroll it a bit until it is comfortable.
Work up to a higher roll as you gain flexibility in the neck and base of the head.
This is a very relaxing technique.  If you do not feel relaxed with this procedure, than it is not for you.

Consult your doctor, massage therapist or craniosacral therapist.

Enjoy the benefits and leave a comment or question, I would love to hear from you.