Beyond Relief! Massage Therapy with Shawn Rochelle Myer

07/06/2025

Send a message to learn more

06/29/2025

And it’s all connected…..

06/27/2025

Shawn has a passion for helping others with headaches. She was a sufferer for years, which led to finding massage therapy and ultimately being a massage therapist!

06/22/2025

Psoas…..

05/13/2025

04/19/2025

**Occipital Nerve Pressure: Understanding the Condition**

**Overview:**
The occipital nerves are a pair of nerves that run from the upper cervical spine through the back of the head and into the scalp. They are primarily responsible for sensation in the scalp and parts of the neck. Pressure or irritation of the occipital nerves, often leading to a condition known as occipital neuralgia, can cause significant discomfort.

**Causes:**
Pressure on the occipital nerves can result from various factors, including:

1. **Muscle Tension:** Tight muscles in the neck or upper back can compress the nerves.
2. **Injury:** Trauma to the head or neck can damage the occipital nerves.
3. **Poor Posture:** Prolonged poor posture may lead to muscle tightness affecting the nerves.
4. **Herniated Discs:** Disc issues in the cervical spine can compress or irritate the nerves.
5. **Osteoarthritis:** Changes in the cervical spine can lead to nerve compression.
6. **Migraines and Tension Headaches:** Sometimes, these conditions can overlap with occipital nerve pressure.

**Symptoms:**
The symptoms of occipital nerve pressure can vary but typically include:

- Sharp, shooting pain that starts at the base of the skull and radiates to the scalp.
- Pain behind the eyes or in the temples.
- Tenderness in the scalp and neck.
- Sensitivity to light.
- Occasional visual disturbances.
- Headaches that may be mistaken for migraines.

**Diagnosis:**
Diagnosis is usually based on a comprehensive clinical evaluation, which may include:

- Medical history and a description of symptoms.
- Physical examination, focusing on the neck and head areas.
- Imaging studies (such as MRI or CT scans) to rule out other conditions.

**Treatment:**
Treatment for occipital nerve pressure often includes a multimodal approach:

1. **Medication:**
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain relief.
- Muscle relaxants to alleviate muscle tension.
- Antidepressants or anticonvulsants for nerve pain relief.

2. **Physical Therapy:**
- Exercises and stretches to improve neck strength and flexibility.
- Manual therapy to relieve muscle tension.

3. **Injections:**
- Occipital nerve blocks involving corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and pain.

4. **Alternative Therapies:**
- Acupuncture or massage therapy may provide relief for some individuals.

5. **Surgery:**
- In rare cases where conservative treatments fail, surgical options such as occipital nerve stimulation may be considered.

**Prevention:**
Preventive measures can help reduce the risk of occipital nerve pressure, including:

- Maintaining good posture.
- Incorporating regular neck and shoulder exercises.
- Managing stress to promote muscle relaxation.
- Taking frequent breaks during activities that strain the neck.

If you suspect that you are experiencing symptoms of occipital nerve pressure, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and a tailored treatment plan.
Doctor of physical therapy

04/09/2025

THIS!!!! So Crazy common!!! Notice how the shoulder is hiked to balance the bag/purse/backpack etc on one side!

03/18/2025

Try this and let me know who it works……most people experience this at some point.

03/16/2025

Cholesterol med users, this one is for you. It’s true, some people do start feeling pain and can’t figure out why, so they come see me or a body worker of some sort. Often they started a cholesterol medicine a few months earlier. This has happened multiple times during my years as a massage therapist. Read the post….it also could cause a deficiency that you should be supplementing!

This makes me so angry! And is ONE of the many reasons why I BEG people to ditch their statins!!! OUR BRAINS NEED CHOLESTEROL!!!

“Did you know that "lipophilic" statins (cholesterol lowering medications) were first invented in 1976 and approved for use in 1987?
..and that THE INCIDENCE OF DEMENTIA INCREASED BY 117% BETWEEN 1990 AND 2016!

It is no coincidence that they play a roll in the rise of DEMENTIA.

Statins have been proven to deplete the body of CoQ10, which is crucial to our health. CoQ10 plays a protective role as an endogenous antioxidant against the development or progression of dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers have found that of 300 older adults with mildly impaired thinking and memory, those using "lipophilic" statins were more likely to develop DEMENTIA over the next eight years.

Lipophilic statins include such widely used medications as simvastatin (Zocor), atorvastatin (Lipitor) and lovastatin (Altoprev).

Newer studies suggests they may actually harm people with heart failure.

Other neurological abnormalities that can occur in primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency include seizures, intellectual disability, poor muscle tone (hypotonia), involuntary muscle contractions (dystonia), progressive muscle stiffness (spasticity), abnormal eye movements (nystagmus), vision loss caused by degeneration caused by degeneration (atrophy) of the optic nerves or breakdown of the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye (retinopathy), and sensorineural hearing loss (which is caused by abnormalities in the inner ear.

The neurological problems gradually get worse unless treated with coenzyme Q10.

Why aren't doctors telling their patients this before this drug is pushed?

Why aren't they prescribing this in combination with, or at least checking their patient's CoQ10 levels?”

Ashley Klett Sharp, ND

03/08/2025

It’s all connected!

03/06/2025

🔹 LearnMuscles.com 🔹
Excellence-in-education

✨LATERAL PTERYGOID

🚨Want to deepen your muscle anatomy knowledge? I’ve got a complete A-Z encyclopedia waiting for you—totally free! Get expert definitions and expand your understanding. Tap the link in my bio to check it out!

-The Lateral Pterygoid is a muscle of mastication that moves the mandible at the temporomandibular joints (TMJs). The primary muscles of mastication are:
-Temporalis
-Masseter
-Lateral Pterygoid
-Medial Pterygoid

-The Lateral Pterygoid has two heads: Superior Head and Inferior Head.

ATTACHMENTS:
-Sphenoid bone to the mandible and temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
The inferior head attaches onto the neck of the mandible.
The superior head attaches into the joint capsule and articular disc of the TMJ.

ACTIONS:
-Protracts the mandible at the TMJs.
Contralaterally the mandible at the TMJs.

NOTES:
-Having attachments directly into the articular structures of the TMJ, the lateral pterygoid is especially important to assess and treat in clients who have any sort of TMJ dysfunction.
The lateral pterygoid is so-named because it attaches onto the sphenoid bone more laterally than the medial pterygoid.
🚨Please note that the use of this artwork requires proper credit to be given (Permission: Dr. Joe Muscolino. www.learnmuscles.com – art work Giovanni Rimasti)

Explore LearnMuscles Continuing Education (LMCE)—your all-in-one online subscription for anatomy, physiology, manual, and movement therapy. With over 3,500 video lessons and 320+ FREE NCBTMB CE hours, you’ll always stay ahead. And with new content every week, there’s always more to learn!

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#1

02/28/2025