Ayurveda for neck and shoulder stiffness in San Ramon

Shoulders that creep toward your ears by afternoon, a neck that cracks when you turn, or tension that settles in after hours at a screen: neck and shoulder stiffness is a daily companion for many desk workers. Preeti Gupta at Minute Wonder Ayurveda in San Ramon looks at posture, stress and warm oil therapy.

Preeti does not diagnose pathological conditions from a Western perspective, so her work sits alongside the care of your physician and never replaces it.

What Ayurveda looks at

In Ayurveda the neck, shoulders and head belong to vata territory, and tension builds with stress, cold and long stillness. Preeti looks at:

• Your work set-up and hours of stillness, and how often you move.

• Stress held in the shoulders and jaw, and how you sleep.

• Digestion and warmth, since a cold, dry body tends to stiffen.

What a First Visit covers

A First Visit is 90 minutes ($250). Preeti reviews your daily routine, diet, digestion, exercise and sleep, using a health history, pulse analysis and tongue diagnosis. For neck and shoulder stiffness, expect time on:

• Where it hurts, how it spreads to the arms or head, and what your physician or physical therapist has said.

• A routine of movement and breaks that fits your job.

• Whether Greeva Basti, warm oil held over the neck, or Abhyanga would fit.

You leave with a written diet, herbal and lifestyle plan. Follow-ups are $125 for 60 minutes. See pricing.

What you can start this week

Two recipes, and your own oil massage from her post Rejuvenate, Nourish, and Glow:

• Cumin, coriander and fennel (CCF) tea. Simmer it for 5 to 7 minutes and sip it after a meal, then stand up and stretch. Check first if you are pregnant or nursing.

• Cracked wheat dalia with vegetables. Her page calls cracked wheat a source of steady energy through a long working day.

See your physician first if

• Neck pain after a fall, a car accident or a sports injury.

• Numbness, tingling or weakness in the arms or hands.

• Neck pain with fever, a severe headache, or chest pain. Call 911 for chest pain.

Common questions about neck and shoulder stiffness

What is Greeva Basti?

Warm medicated oil is held over the back of the neck in a small reservoir for about 20 to 30 minutes. Her page describes it as soothing and relaxing the muscles. The price is quoted after your consultation.

Is a regular massage the same as Abhyanga?

Abhyanga is a full-body warm organic oil massage that includes the head and abdomen, $150 for 60 minutes. It is aimed at the whole body, not only a tight neck.

I sit all day. What is the first change?

Preeti asks you to write down your day first. A routine with breaks and regular meals is often easier to keep than a long list of exercises, and she adds things one or two at a time.

Ayurveda is a traditional system of wellness and is not a substitute for medical care. Content here is educational. Please consult your physician about any medical condition. Preeti Gupta is not licensed by the State of California as a healing arts practitioner; Ayurvedic services are complementary to the care of licensed providers.