The term cervicalgia refers to the pain that affects the area of ​​the cervical tract and the neck, which is sometimes associated with occipital headache, with extension to the trapezius muscles and in more serious cases the involvement of the shoulders and arms.

Unless we are faced with cases where the intervention of a specialist doctor is required, shiatsu can be a valid aid in alleviating pain and tension in this part of our body.

As usual we must see the disorder from the point of view of Chinese medicine which is essentially an energy medicine.

The Qi or vital energy, flows along the preferential pathways in our body called energy meridians. When it freezes or no longer flows we begin to manifest those disorders that, like signals coming from our body, warn us that something is wrong.

Blocking pain in the traditional way produces a momentary effect of relief but, as the ancient Chinese medicine texts say, in addition to acting on the top of the disorder it is also necessary to do it at its "root".

Among the various causes of energy blockage, which lasts a long time becomes a physical disorder, we find: external factors such as wind-cold-humidity, wrong postures prolonged for a long time (a bad mattress or pillow, sitting in the office for hours, etc.). ..) and emotional blocks. Even the latter, like the other triggers, play a fundamental role in the correct energy movement of Qi .

The intervention of shiatsu is aimed at removing those causes that are at the origin of the blockage of Qi that manifests itself as energy stagnation (Bi syndromes according to MTC) and as pain. The treatment modality foresees the digito-pressure on the local puti, frictions and kneading of the dorso-cervical area, finally a background treatment of the interested energetic channel or of the Zang (organ) that is sensitive to that external pathogenic component.

For example, a sudden cold attack can affect the first of the six energy levels of the individual, Tae Yang, which is associated with the bladder and small intestine channels. Just as humidity can invade the second level, the Shao Yang (biliary bladder and triple heater).

This happens when these levels are not able to reject the energies coming from the macrocosm becoming xie Qi, perverse energies . The combination of cold and humidity, when it enters the body, becomes a real disturbed energy. In this case the shiatsu operator can make use of moxa, a complementary technique of Chinese medicine which consists in using a special mugwort cigar.

Once switched on, it is applied near the acupoints and is able to absorb the humidity factor. According to the basic Taoist principle of yin-yang, the complementary opposites, we will find it beneficial to treat some distal points localized on the ankles and feet.

It is possible to work on some superficial meridians, the tendon-muscular channels are often blocked due to unexpressed emotions.

They represent our postural attitude towards the world. In shiatsu the importance of the global harmonization of emotions should not be overlooked because it helps to make oneself aware and correct any energy imbalances.