From poor posture to sleeping in an awkward position or improper form during your last workout, there are endless reasons you can wind up with back-of-neck pain. The muscles in this area are constantly working to hold up your head — which on average, weighs about 5 to 10 pounds — and one wrong move could leave you sore for days.
Luckily, whether you’re looking to ease pain quickly, promote healthy posture, or just want to give your neck some more TLC, self-massage can help.
Here’s what to know about back-of-the-neck massage, including the benefits, techniques, and tools to make home massage a little easier.
What’s Going On Back There? A Look at the Back-of-Neck Muscles
The largest, most superficial (or outermost) muscle at the back of your neck is the trapezius muscle — a wide, fan-shaped muscle that starts at the base of the skull, stretches out toward your shoulders, and runs down to your mid-back.
Just under the trapezius, you can find two deeper neck muscles: the splenius capitis and the splenius cervicis. These two do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to supporting, rotating, and tilting your head, but they’re not doing it alone. Additional back-of-neck muscles that help with your head movement and stability include the:
- Suboccipital muscles, a set of small muscles near the base of your skull
- Cervical transversospinalis muscles, a group of deeper neck muscles closer to the spine
- Levator scapulae muscles, which run along the back sides of the neck
Causes of Back-of-Neck Soreness
If you woke up today with the back of your neck feeling sore or tight, here are some factors that could be playing a role:
Overuse and Strain
Although we don’t think about it much, our neck muscles deal with a lot of everyday strain — often from heavy lifting exercises, repetitive movements, or simple poor posture.
One specific (and very common) example of this is forward head posture. For every inch your head leans forward, it adds several extra pounds of pressure on the back of the neck — pressure that your muscles have to constantly battle against to keep your head upright. Over time, this type of steady, consistent strain can cause inflammation that may contribute to (or directly cause) neck muscle pain.
Health Conditions
More rarely, certain injuries and health conditions can also contribute to back-of-neck pain. These include:
- Osteoarthritis in the cervical spine
- Injuries from accidents or sports, such as whiplash or a muscle strain
- Cervical disc problems, such as a herniated disc
- A pinched nerve due to an injury, a spine condition, or repetitive strain
Other Contributing Factors
While simple tired muscles are the most common culprit behind neck soreness, they’re not the only factor to look for. Even simple everyday changes like cold temperatures or dehydration can cause your muscles to cramp, tighten, and spasm more easily.
In addition, your daily ergonomics (or how your workspace is set up) can play a big role too. Whether you work at a desk or spend hours per day in your vehicle, a setup that isn’t neck-friendly can increase the load on your muscles, making them more prone to pain and fatigue at the end of the day.
This can even carry over to how you sleep; pillows stacked too high (or too low) can cause your neck to bend in an unnatural way, limiting circulation and causing tension to build up overnight.
The Benefits of Back-of-Neck Massage
When it comes to taking care of the back of your neck, massage can bring some seriously restorative benefits, especially if you’re dealing with strain from posture or a poor night’s sleep. Here are four of the top positive effects that you might be able to expect:
Targets Muscle Tension
Research shows that for people with chronic neck pain, the upper trapezius can often be especially tight. Luckily, gentle massage can help warm and mobilize the tissue, with one small study suggesting that it can be specifically helpful for relaxing tension in the trapezius muscles.
Beyond that, a technique called myofascial release can be great for easing trigger points and knots in the upper back and neck region. Often used by athletes, physical therapists, and massage therapists, this method involves applying moderate, sustained pressure on a small area for 10–20 seconds to calm the nerves, promote blood flow, and help the tissue “release.”
Can Help Support Posture
A quick massage is great for melting away neck tension caused by slouching over, but that’s not the only benefit it can bring for your posture. In the long run, the right techniques can also:
- Relax tight, overactive muscles while gently stimulating underused ones
- Loosen tension in fascia (your body’s connective tissue), which may make it easier for your body to settle into its natural posture over time
- Encourage postural awareness, helping you become more mindful of when you’re slouching or leaning forward
May Soothe Headaches
When the back of your neck is tight, tension headaches can often show up as a side effect. The good news? If you have head pain that seems to go hand-in-hand with tight upper body muscles, massage could bring some relief.
In a 2024 review of studies, researchers looked at how different types of trigger point therapy might help with headaches. Surprisingly, they found that several approaches — including dry needling, positional relaxation techniques, and massage therapy — showed promise in reducing headache intensity and frequency.
Calms Stress and Anxiety
Stress is a lesser-known (but very common) contributor to back-of-neck pain. When you feel stressed out, your body surges hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, at the same time tensing your muscles in preparation for danger. And in modern life, many of us are under near-constant stress — to the point that serious levels of unconscious tension can build up in the back-of-neck muscles.
Luckily, according to the American Massage Therapy Association, studies have shown that massage can soothe anxiety levels in many groups, including healthy adults and those living with chronic pain. So, if your neck tends to ache when stress piles up, a quick massage might be just what your muscles need to reset.
Before You Try Back-of-the-Neck Massage
Massage is generally safe for most people, especially when you’re working with light-to-moderate pressure on larger muscle groups. But when it comes to the neck, there are some delicate structures to look for and some additional safety tips to be aware of.
Before you get started, here’s what to keep in mind:
- Avoid using massage tools or intense pressure on the front or sides of your neck. This can help ensure you’re protecting your lymph nodes, arteries, and other vital structures in the area.
- Ease into the pressure. Sore muscles can often benefit from a quick massage, but going in too deep (especially if done abruptly) could do more harm than good.
- Focus on soft tissue, and avoid working directly over vertebrae or bony spots.
- Stick to your “pain-free” range. Stop if you feel any sharp discomfort, numbness, tingling, or anything that feels like nerve involvement.
Finally, check with your doctor before trying massage if you have any current or past medical issues that might become aggravated by pressure. You’ll want to make this a priority if you have a history of stroke, artery issues, cervical spine problems, or any unexplained neck pain, as the underlying cause can sometimes be serious.
The bottom line? If anything feels off — or you’re just not certain about something — it’s always best to check with a professional.
4 Easy Back-of-the-Neck Massage Techniques
Here are four ways to massage away back-of-neck tension at home, including a mix of hands-on techniques and methods using therapeutic home tools:
Gentle Hands-On Neck Massage
This quick neck massage is perfect whether you’re winding down for the night or need some midday pain relief. Here are the steps:
- Sit comfortably with aligned posture.
- Take a deep breath, and slowly tilt your head to one side to stretch the neck muscles.
- Hold for a few seconds, and repeat with the other side.
- Then, start with a few light-pressure neck compressions. Wrap your hands around either side of the back of your neck, and gently squeeze the muscles. Repeat all the way down the neck.
- Next, glide your fingers up the back of your neck with moderate pressure. Repeat 5–10 times.
- From there, place all of your fingers (aside from your thumbs) in the center of your neck, on either side of your cervical spine.
- Gently splay (or spread) the muscle tissue outward, gliding away from your spine.
- Repeat for five minutes, up to a few times per day.
Myofascial Release
To tackle deep-seated tension that’s built up over time, myofascial release is another great self-massage option to try. While it’s typically done with rolling tools, you can also use your hands to mimic the slow, targeted pressure on the delicate muscles at the back of your neck. Here’s how:
- Sit comfortably, lightly curl your right hand, and place your knuckles on the back right side of your neck.
- Take a deep, calming breath. Then, very slowly, glide the knuckles down the length of your neck. (Avoid dragging or pulling the skin — feel free to use a drop of oil or lotion here if needed.)
- Optionally, you can tilt your head slightly to the side to lengthen the muscles while you massage.
- Massage for 1-2 minutes, and repeat with the left side.
Massage Ball Release
If you’d prefer to roll out your back-of-neck muscles (think a mini foam rolling session), you can easily try it with a set of massage balls or tennis balls. Simply situate them side-by-side in a small netted bag or long sock. Then:
- Stand against a wall.
- Place the massage balls horizontally behind your neck, making sure there’s one on each side of your spine.
- Lean into the balls with light pressure.
- Slowly and gently lower your body down a few inches. As you do so, the balls will roll along the muscles.
- Stop when the balls reach the top of the neck. Then, slowly raise your body to roll them back down the neck.
- Repeat for 30-60 seconds.
Try a Restorative Neck Massager
When it comes to home massagers, tools like massage guns can be far too intense to use on sensitive areas like the neck. But if you’re after an easy way to give your neck muscles more regular TLC, the good news is that there are gentler tools out there that can be just as effective.
One option is the MedMassager Neck Massager – an HSA/FSA-eligible home tool that uses dual-direction motions to mimic a real therapist’s hands, all while designed to fit the natural curve of your neck. Here’s how to use it:
- Situate the massager comfortably behind your neck.
- Turn it to its gentlest setting.
- Lean in, allowing your muscles to absorb the vibrations and oscillating motions for one minute.
- Slowly increase the pressure as needed.
- Relax, allowing your upper body muscles to soak up the massage for a total of 5-10 minutes.
Who Can Benefit Most From Back-of-Neck Massage?
Regular neck massage can be helpful for anyone dealing with frequent tension, but it can be especially impactful depending on your lifestyle. For example, you might find extra relief if you:
- Deal with chronic stress that contributes to neck and back tension
- Spend many hours each day at a computer or on your phone
- Struggle with forward head posture
- Lift heavy weights and tend to carry a lot of upper-body tension
- Are simply noticing more soreness and wear and tear with age
How Often Should You Massage Your Neck?
When you’re dealing with everyday tightness, using massage a few times per week is relatively safe for most people. That being said, if you’re dealing with an injury like whiplash or have another health condition affecting your neck, it’s key to check with your doctor. If it’s a good fit for you, they may recommend working with a professional massage therapist weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly to help bring some additional relief while you recover.
Additional Tips for Back-of-Neck Health
Combined with a soothing self-massage routine, here are a few other tips that can help you reduce pain and support your neck over the long haul:
Start With Some Realignment Exercises
Almost everyone in the modern age has at least some degree of forward head posture, for at least some part of the day. Luckily, there are a few simple exercises that can help you realign your posture — and take the strain off your back-of-neck muscles while you’re at it. Two good options to start with include:
- Chin tucks: Sit upright with your shoulders back. Then, tuck your chin in straight back toward your neck — like you’re trying to make a double chin — without tilting your head up or down. Repeat 5-10 times, up to 2-3 times per day.
- Y-stretch: Hold your arms up and out in a “Y’ shape, palms facing forward. Engage your upper back muscles to pull your arms back. As you do so, you should feel your chest muscles open up. Hold for 15-30 seconds, repeating 2-3 times per session.
Focus On Your Daily Posture
The next best way to support your back-of-neck muscles? Find ways to improve your daily posture. For your workspace, this might mean pulling your keyboard in closer, lowering your chair, and raising your monitor a few inches. Basically, the goal is to set it up in such a way that it’s easy for your neck to be in line with your body, so that you’re not unconsciously rounding forward while looking at your screen.
For your sleep setup, it’s best to go with a pillow that supports the natural, healthy curve of your neck; something moderately firm, not too high, and just tall enough to keep your spine in a neutral position.
The Takeaway
From the trapezius to the deeper cervical muscles, your back-of-neck muscles work hard every day to keep your head supported. And while daily life can leave them overworked and strained, a simple massage can often bring some relief. It helps soothe tension, supports your posture, and may even ease the muscle-related headaches that stiff neck muscles can bring.
Getting started can be as easy as applying gentle sweeping or gliding motions to your neck with your hands. But if you want to incorporate more restorative massage into your daily routine, the MedMassager Neck Massager can help.
Learn more about how it works here, or explore MedMassager’s full range of home tools today.
