Top 10 Best Neck Massagers in 2024

When you come home from work, there is nothing better than a nice massage. Often you ask your partner, but since it is a real art, not everyone can have the necessary talent. So either go to an expert or rely on a neck massager.

Doing a massage on the neck and back can be a real cure-all in case of pain and contracture, but you don’t always have the time and resources necessary for sessions at specialized centers.

A valid alternative can be the cervical massager, a device capable of reproducing the same manual movements aimed at muscle and circulatory stimulation, conceived and studied to alleviate the ailments caused by neck pain, inflammation or minor trauma.

Here we have selected the best neck massagers that are the latest and best of the current time.

Best Neck Massagers Buyer Guide

Neck Pain: Symptoms and Causes

With cervical pain (in medical jargon cervicalgia) it indicates a pain localized in correspondence of the neck, generally at the level of the muscles and the cervical vertebrae, or in the upper part of the vertebral column.

Very often the feeling of being unwell is such that it can extend to the head and upper limbs, or to radiate downwards also involving the back, more frequently at the level of the lumbar area.

Cervical Pain

The symptoms that arise are varied and can manifest themselves either discontinuously, only when a certain position is assumed, or as chronic pain or even in the form of a set of disorders.

The most typical ones are neck pain and stiffness (what in common language we call “stiff neck”) and headache; in the case of more severe inflammations, back pain, loss of strength, tingling in arms and hands, feeling of nausea, dizziness, and ringing in the head may also occur.

In most cases, and particularly in youth, cervical pain is due to a simple contracture the muscles of the neck and shoulders, caused by a sudden movement or a draft of air; it is, therefore, a passing trauma, which disappears after a few days, remaining an isolated episode.

The cause of chronic problems can be rather states of anxiety or nervous stress or, very often, a poor posture is the case of those who lead a sedentary life, perhaps spending many hours in front of a computer or with a bent back on the books, a position where the weight of the body rests entirely on the spine.

Finally, in severe cases, neck pain is due to more serious trauma, such as an injury due to accidents, or real pathologies such as herniated disc or cervical osteoarthritis.

Cervical Massager: What It Is and What It Is Used For

Usually, the recommended therapy to combat cervical problems due to muscle contractures involves postural exercises accompanied by decontracting massages: these are precisely massages that act on contracted muscles, tendons, and tissues, dissolving them and relieving inflammation to restore normal tone muscle.

Decontracting Massage

Even the shiatsu massage is a valuable aid in case of neck pain. In essence, this treatment is based on acupressure (in Japanese, shiatsu means “finger pressure”), or a pressure performed with fingers, knuckles or the palm of the hands, and acts mainly at the level of the joints, reducing tension in the affected areas.

These treatments are carried out at specialized physiotherapy or message centers however, you do not always have the time or resources to use them with due frequency. In these cases, a good alternative can be represented by electric cervical massagers.

In essence, these are instruments that, positioned on the appropriate areas of the body, reproduce on them the pressures and movements typical of manual stimulation, improving blood circulation in the tissues the relaxation of the muscles.

Cervical Massager

The treatment carried out by an electric massager is not comparable to the manual one, performed by a professional and customized according to the needs and specific health of the user.

If you suffer from serious trauma or real pathologies in the cervical area, it is good to ask for a medical opinion about the adequacy of this type of instrument, to be sure of being able to use them in complete safety.

In general, the advantage of these devices is linked to the fact that they can be used comfortably at any time of the day, not only in one’s own home in front of the TV but also in the office and even in the car; moreover, their cost is much lower than that of a series of sessions at a massage center.

Electric cervical massagers are therefore practical and small-sized products, designed for those who suffer from chronic non-severe cervicalgia and have a frequent need to relax the muscles of the neck and back, or even for those who simply want to take a moment to daily relaxation at home, without necessarily having to book a massage session and go to a professional studio.

Structure

There are various types of cervical massagers on the market. In general, as regards the structure, these tools can be divided into three types:

• Massage Cushions: these massagers have no integrated sleeves or handles and have, as the name suggests, a shape reminiscent of a classic pillow, to be adhered to on the neck and shoulders. Precisely because they do not have sockets from which to grasp them, to use these appliances, it is necessary to place them, for example, on the back of the sofa or armchair. In addition to the cervical area, these massagers can be easily moved to treat different areas of the body;
• Massagers with Sleeves or U -Shaped: these massagers also consist of a sort of curved cushion, designed to be placed around the neck or shoulders; unlike the previous type, however, two sleeves or “armrests” in which to insert the arms are connected to this cushion. These, in addition to promoting greater stability of the device, allow you to adjust the intensity of the treatment since by pulling or loosening the grip it is possible to vary the pressure that the masseur exerts on the body. Like the pillow models, also the massagers with sleeves can be used not only on the cervical area but also on the rest of the back and possibly on the legs;
• Collar Massagers: these are massagers whose shape resembles that of a collar, and which must be wrapped around the neck to be used. For this reason, they are less versatile since due to their structure they cannot be used in other areas of the body;
• Handle Massagers: these massagers consist of a more or less long handle at the end of which a massaging surface, generally circular in shape, is connected. The handle allows you to hold the tool and then position it on the area to be treated; unlike the first three models, however, these are much more basic massagers. The massaging surface is, in fact, rather small, consequently, also the relaxing effect will be less widespread. On the other hand, this type of massager is very versatile, since the slightly extended surface can be positioned easily on practically the whole body, so much so that many of them are also used to carry out anti-cellulite treatments.

Neck Cervical Massager

The first two types are however more sophisticated, which is why their structure is more refined, with certain attention linked to comfort and practicality: for this reason, the massage cushions and the massagers with sleeves usually have padding, so as to be more comfortable in contact with the body.

Cervical Massager Padding

Another structural element that can vary depending on the model concerns the arrangement of the controls. Some massagers, for example, are distinguished by an integrated push-button panel.

This is the case of massagers with sleeves, whose controls are generally arranged on one of the sleeves, more or less at shoulder height, or even some cushion models, which they have a series of controls on the sides or on the upper part of the structure.

Massage Heads

The heads, also called “rollers” or “knots”, are those components of the cervical massagers which, moving in contact with the area to be treated, are in fact in charge of the actual massage. These are small spheres, generally made of plastic, which can perform three types of movement:

• from left to right;
• from top to bottom;
• from outside to inside.

The electric cervical massagers whose heads are designed to perform all the movements listed above are also called ” 3D “.

Alternatively, the heads perform the massage by oscillating very quickly, with a movement called vibrating.

Depending on the type of massager, and therefore on the size of the treatment surface, the heads are present in smaller or greater quantities: for example, from the models with handle, which can also have a single rotating sphere, to the cushion models.

Which usually have from 2 to 4 heads, to get to the massagers with sleeves or U, which instead can count up to 8. In general, the greater the number of heads, the greater the intensity of the massage.

Programs

Other features to keep in mind when choosing a cervical massager concern the type and variety of programs that distinguish it. The programs essentially concern the type of movement performed by the heads and are commonly divided into four types:

1. Shiatsu Program: it is generally performed by masseurs equipped with 4 or 8 heads, which rotate in three directions on a rather large surface, in order to realistically simulate the acupressure typical of shiatsu massage. It is usually a rather intense massage;
2. Rotating Program: the heads perform rotational movements, going to loosen and relax the muscles with a slightly lighter massage;
3. Vibration: the massage is performed through a very fast oscillation of the heads;
4. Electrostimulation: it is finally possible to find special cervical massagers on the market, which act on the areas to be treated by means of electrostimulation, that is, low-frequency electrical stimulation, comparable to the techniques used in physiotherapy centers; the heads, in this case, are made up of real electrodes.

Functions

As regards the functions, however, cervical massagers can present different options, depending on whether they are more or less sophisticated models.

These elements obviously affect the versatility and cost of the appliance, since they allow us to offer a treatment that is as realistic and personalized as possible according to your preferences and physical needs. Here are the most common functions:

• Intensity Adjustment: this is the possibility to adjust the movement of the massage heads by choosing between two or more speed levels, depending on whether you want a more or less intense treatment;
• The Direction of Rotation of The Heads: many cervical massagers provide the possibility to choose the direction of rotation of the heads, which can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise to offer an even more complete massage;
• Infrared: models equipped with this function emit a light invisible to the human eye, which is perceived in the form of heat. By heating slightly, the heads distribute the heat even on the areas to be treated, promoting natural relaxation of the muscles and increasing the effectiveness of the massage;
• Timer: some cervical massagers have a timer that automatically changes the direction of rotation of the heads every two minutes;
• Automatic Switch-Off: this function allows the electric massager to switch off automatically to avoid the contraindications of a too-long message. Generally, it is not recommended to continue beyond 15 minutes per treatment.

Cervical Massager Functions

Supply

The last factor to consider when choosing the cervical massager concerns the type of power supplies that distinguishes it: on the market, we can, in fact, find models powered by the mains, with a rechargeable battery (generally lithium-ion ), or, more rarely, with replaceable batteries.

The first type is probably the most common and is perfect for those who plan to use the cervical massager with a certain frequency since these models can be used at any time by connecting the cable to a power outlet.

On the other hand, precisely, for this reason, mains-powered massagers oblige to position themselves near an outlet, and can be uncomfortable when the cable supplied is not long enough to allow some freedom of movement.

Car Adapter Cervical Massager

The models powered by rechargeable batteries, on the other hand, have an internal battery which is recharged by means of a special cable, so instructions must be followed regarding the correct recharging times.

These massagers can be used anywhere, without the worry of having to look for a power outlet, and their internal battery ensures prolonged use without risk of long-term performance drops.

The latter consideration also applies to replaceable battery cervical massagers which, however, involve the need to remember to change the batteries.

When these are exhausted and therefore to face a certain frequency, the expense of the purchase of new batteries. For this reason, these models are not the ideal solution for those who want to make intense use of the massager.