The neck is a busy body part. In the front it contains vessels for speech, eating, blood, and breath. In the back it houses the spinal cord which beams brain signals to the heart and the rest of the body. The neck is to be commended for all the good work she does including the Herculean task of holding up the head which surely can seem at times to weigh as much as a bowling ball! Most babies develop neck muscles to hold up their heads by six months. Unfortunately, by adulthood, most adults – nearly 2/3rds of the population – have neck pain.

What causes this discomfort? It could be strain from sleeping in an awkward position, a pinched nerve, weak neck muscles, or stiffness caused by stress or too many hours at your desk. I have been prone to headaches originating in this region of the body and have found relief with either little dabs of the Essential Oil of Peppermint or rubbing the affected area with Tiger's Balm. I also do neck exercises at my desk; it feels good to move to the right, then the left, and then up and down. I have high hopes that these efforts will keep me from becoming an annoying person or, in slang terms, "a pain in the neck."

The neck has been seen as the most subtle part of the body, and in Japan the nape of the neck is a primary erotic zone. In the early 1900s the term "necking'' began to be used as a reference to amorously kissing, embracing, and caressing. And as if these enchantments were not enough, many lovers also like to clasp the back of the neck while making out. The neck seems to be one of the best parts of the human body to teach us about the joys of pleasure. Since I started to think of my neck as a pleasure palace, my headaches have lessened.


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