Text Neck Pain and Treatment

Text What? Yes, Text Neck is real and it is effecting hundreds of Thousands of people. Text neck is the term used to describe the neck pain and injury associated with the use of cell phones, tablets, or other wireless devices. It is very real and more than likely already effecting you or someone you know. The problem is too many people spending way to long looking down at their wireless devices with poor posture. Neck pain is the leading cause of neck pain in our children. The problem with texting is that we are spending way to much time doing it. Bad neck posture for extended periods of time is literally wrecking our necks.

What symptoms are caused by text neck? First and foremost text neck creates added pressure on the neck and upper back. With this added pressure bones get out of alignment and the neck doesn’t function like it is meant to. The nervous system is then affected which in turn affects your entire body and overall health. Common symptoms of those suffering from text neck are:

– Headaches
– neck stiffness
– Tingling in the arms
– Arthritis
– Shoulder discomfort
– Dizziness
– Severe upper back muscle spasms.
– General shoulder pain and tightness
– Constant headache made worse when looking down or using the computer.

Treatment for Text Neck:

As a Neck Pain specialist my first line of advice would be prevention. We want to make sure that your mobile device is at eye level as much as possible. We want to break the bad habit of bending your head forward to look at mobile devices. Changing this habit alone will take the tension off of the neck and the long term benefits will be great.

For stiffness and pain in your neck, shoulders or back, it is important to see your chiropractor for a full evaluation of the problem. Once identified your Chiropractor will discuss the plan for treatment for maximum pain relief and healing. Your Chiropractor should include stretching and strengthening exercises for your neck pain, shoulders and back.

The use of cell phones and mobile devices are not going away. We have to be smart users and look out for our own health. Here are some great tips for you to follow when using your mobile device:

– Take frequent breaks from your phone and laptop

– Put it down for 5 minutes at a time. Yes, just walk away and reset.

– Make sure your screen is set at eye level (desktop)

– Pay attention to your posture.

Text Neck is doing damage to necks all across the world. As a Chiropractor we want to educate on proper neck care. Make sure to pay attention to your posture, create good habits and if you have neck pain go see your local neck pain Chiropractic Doctor.