When it has been years, not weeks
By the time people call me about a neck, they have usually had it for years and have already been to several other people about it.
There are a few things worth checking first
I look for the cause, not the sore spot
The place that hurts and the place causing it are frequently not the same place. A shoulder that will not settle often has more going on than the shoulder — the neck it hangs off, and the way you have been holding that arm since something else hurt three years ago. I do not diagnose which. I work through all of it and pay attention to what changes.
That is slower work and it takes more than one visit. I would rather tell you that at the start than sell you a single session and let you find out.
What I will tell you honestly
Some of what I see took twenty years to build and it does not come apart in an hour. If I do not think I am the right person for what you are describing, I will say so on the phone and tell you who might be — before you have paid me anything.
Questions
How many sessions will I need?
I do not sell packages and I will not guess at a number to get you booked. What I will do is tell you after the first session what I found and what I would do next. Most people who are working on something long-standing come more often at the start and then space it out; some come once and do not need me again. You will get my honest opinion either way.
I have tried massage before and it did not help. Why would this be different?
It might not be, and I am not going to tell you I am different from everyone you have seen. What I will tell you is that I keep looking for the cause instead of rubbing the place that hurts, and I do not get bored of your problem.
Do I need a referral?
No. Most people book directly. If your doctor has prescribed massage, I work to their plan and send them a written note after each session.