Many of us have common neck and shoulder pain. This is usually identified by pain in the tops of the shoulders, along the shoulder blade and up into the neck toward the base of the skull. For many people who suffer with this type of pain, stiffness and pain in the specified muscles can result, but it can also frequently result in headaches.

Neck and shoulder pain can not only be frustrating, but for many, it becomes chronic. Neck and shoulder tension is just a way of life for many people, but you need to know that it doesn't have to be. With proper and constant treatment of this condition you can ease your pain, but first, you need to be able to identify the cause of your muscle strain before you can treat the problem.

So, how does a person wind up suffering from chronic neck and shoulder pain? The answer is actually much simpler than you might think: most often, this type of pain and tension comes from holding the shoulders at an elevated position for too long. Often, stress will cause us to hold our shoulders closer to our ears. Much in the way that your shoulder will cramp if you hold a phone against it without using your hands, anything you do that causes your shoulders to remain up in a "defensive" posture for too long can cause neck and shoulder strain.

What does this mean for you if you suffer from this problem? It means that you need to learn how to treat your problem so that you can ease away tension and force these muscles that are so commonly uptight to relax. The problem is that this area of the body is very difficult to localize and work, so self treating can be problematic.

Exercises Can Ease Your Neck and Shoulder Pain

The good news is that you can manage to ease your neck and shoulder pain on your own with a few simple methods such as massage, heat therapy and stretching exercises. If you suffer from very tense shoulder muscles, it is likely that a massage will hurt, but if you loosen the tension with gentle heat before your muscles are massaged, it can help to ease the pain.

Another common cause of neck and shoulder pain is posture. When you stand with your shoulders and head slumped forward, you are actually causing your neck and shoulder muscles to work harder than they should have to. By working to improve your overall posture and keep your body in a straighter position, you can also help to ease your neck and shoulder tension. Make sure to sit and stand up straight and do exercises such as Pilates, which will help you to strengthen your core and improve your posture.

Ultimately, when you are working to ease your neck and shoulder pain, the treatment is ongoing and requires you to work to keep your muscles loose and free moving. Through stretching, exercises and massage to help your muscles relax, however, you can permanently cure your neck and shoulder pain.