A cervical blockage is a sudden restriction of movement in a certain direction. Usually a jerky movement in one direction is the cause of a cervical blockage, but it can also be caused by an unfavorable position at night or after sitting in a draft or cold. This causes a shift of the vertebrae towards each other, blocking the sliding surfaces of the vertebrae and thus preventing the movement from being final.
A cervical spine blockage is manifested by a very limited movement of the head. In most cases, the patient has a robot-like movement, since he compensates the blockage by rotating the trunk. In addition, headaches or a feeling of heaviness of the head and an often compensatory lifting of the shoulders are often observed.
Release of a cervical spine blockage
The release of a cervical blockage should be performed by a trained manual therapist, osteopath or physician. Due to the very narrow vessels in the area of the neck, a wrong execution of a manipulation can cause considerable damage. Through specific testing, the therapist finds out the exact segment that has blocked in relation to the other segment.
This reveals an interruption in the continuity of the vertebral processes and a reduced shifting of the vertebral processes in relation to each other. By means of provocation tests, the therapist excludes contraindications for a cervical blockage in order to carry out manipulation or general treatment. If muscle tone is high, soft tissue techniques should be used to reduce the tension, as this fixes the vertebra in its malposition.
The tension can be reduced by holding the trigger points in the area of the short neck muscles or the trapezius muscle. If the tension decreases, the cervical vertebra can be carefully mobilized. After the therapist has identified the malposition, he proceeds with the mobilization according to the “side of ease, side of barrier” scheme.
Often he notices a significant relaxation of the entire cervical area. If the soft tissue techniques and the mobilization do not bring any improvement, the therapist tries to release the cervical blockade by manipulation. However, this should only be done in the case of severe complaints and by a well-trained therapist. The therapist adjusts the cervical spine into the appropriate position and releases the blockage by a careful thrust. If he feels a defensive posture of the patient or a strong muscle tension, a manipulation should not be performed under any circumstances.
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