how to get rid of these??? i've got a bunch of them in my upper back/shoulder/neck area and i'd like to work on getting them out.
If you can reach them push as hard as you can on them with your thumb or fist and hold it in for one to two minutes. Then release. Or if they hurt, pulse in and out. Don't let discomfort hold you back from pushing. It may be bunched up muscles that over time simply become glued together. Do you lean forward? As in a hunch? This is common and I have the problem. (family habit)
If you have someone to help then get them to do the pushing.
Another way is to get a rubber ball,
put it in a sock,
ihrow it over your shoulder and
lean against the wall,
placing the ball on the spot of worst discomfort and
lean or
lay on the floor with the ball in place.
Once in a while I get my GF to walk on my back. It's like heaven.
To get rid of the problem, if it's a leaning forward issue, make a conscious effort to stand straight. My GF and I have a thing going where if she sees me leaning forward she mentions that my nose is in front of my .... well you know.
To know if you are leaning forward (it is never noticed by you, only others) take a plumb bob or put a weight on the end of a piece of string, hang it from a door casing and stand by it with the string to your side. Get someone to observe.
Stand at your normal stance. Move around till the string passes by the centre of your ear. It should pass through the centre of your shoulders, pass by the center of your hips, the centre of your knees, and the centre of your ankle. If it doesn't, you have a posture issue and you would be well advised to work on it because it will only get worse and exaggerate over time culminating in the typical little old lady/man look as you get older.
This is bad news because the pain you feel now will just get worse and spread. The organs in your body will compress in some areas and not be constrained in others depending on the degree of leaning.
BTW the suggestions re spray will help with the symptoms but for long term I recommend paying attention to posture. Do yoga especially the spinal twist, cobra, fish etc.
There are wooden props you can buy to arch your back and they work well but stacking up towels also works.