If you are age 50 and over, you most likely have incorporated texting on your cell phone or smart phone into regular communications with family, friends and associates.
Between the ages of 30-50, you are probably sending and receiving at least five to ten text messages on a daily basis.
Under the age of 30, statistics show you are sending a minimum of 3,000 text messages per month. In many cases, the volume is much higher than that.
Texting or text messaging has become a way of life for young and old alike and it can be a pain in the neck – literally.
With our continual use of technology in today’s world, there is a new phenomenon called text neck. This condition affects the placement and alignment of the neck, and brings with it some serious health risks.
What is Text Neck?
Text neck is a condition that formed when you overuse your neck, back and shoulder muscles by keeping yourself in a hunched over position, typically the position that occurs when you spend a lot of time looking down and forward, such as you would when looking on a mobile device.
When you keep yourself in this position, it can cause serious strain on the spine. Text Neck is more than just a cautionary tale that parents can use to keep their kids off their phones, it is a real issue and something that can cause daily pain and discomfort as well as life-long damage to your spine. While Text Neck is a real and serious issue, the good news is it is also one that can be improved with chiropractor care.
Facts on Text Neck
If left untreated, long-term forward neck posture can lead to disc herniation and pinched nerves. It can also impact the natural curve you are supposed to have in your neck. If you look at the x-rays of a healthy individual without Text Neck, you will see a nice subtle curve in their spine. Someone with Text Neck will instead have an alarmingly straight spine that does not have this important curve.
The reason the neck changes so much when it is in this position, is that the average adult head weighs between 10-12 pounds, and when you tilt that head forward and down to look at your phone you are increasing the gravitational pull on your neck and applying a great deal of pressure to this delicate area of your spine. This force is the equivalent of 60 pounds of extra weight.
Signs & Symptoms
- Instant upper back or neck pain when using a handheld device
- Nagging or sharp pain in the neck or shoulders at the end of the day.
- General shoulder pain and tightness.
- Intermittent or constant headache made worse when looking down or using the computer
Text Neck Chiropractic Care
Chiropractors are the most qualified doctors in the medical field to correct text neck and its problems. Since text neck is caused by misalignment of the vertebrae in the neck (cervical spine) it is only natural to go to a chiropractor that is trained to make sure the vertebrae in your spine are correctly aligned.
Dr. Travis Baker will be able to show you on an x-ray exactly what problems your text neck may have caused, and how far advanced your condition may be. Then, they will be able to correct the problem, reversing the problems caused by text neck, restore proper function to your nerves, and stop the pain and problems caused by text neck.
Text neck is a growing problem that many people are not aware of yet. If any of your friends and family do a lot of texting, please recommend this article to them.