Are You Suffering from "Text Neck?"

A lot of people; both kids and adults, are spending their Christmas break hunched over their shiny, new electronic devices. From smart phones to Kindles to video games, electronics were big gifts once again this year. But as technology continues to evolve and increase in popularity, so has a physical ailment now being referred to as "text neck."

While it's not really a new complaint, it is starting to affect younger and younger people. While a common complaint for those who at a computer, or read, for a long period of time , you now see people walking around or sitting down bent over. They're leaning forward and the farther they lean forward the worse it is on the neck.

For every inch your head moves forwards, it gains 10 pounds in weight, as far as the muscles in your upper back and neck are concerned. This is because they have to work that much harder to keep the head (chin) from dropping onto your chest. A head in forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. When you bend over for long periods of time, you can lose the natural curve in your neck. Symptoms of text neck can be just a pain in the neck, but it can also include head aches, pain that runs down the arm, pain in the upper back and pain in the sides of the neck.

Dr. Michael A. Dorn, Jr., DC says "stretching frequently can be helpful, as well as taking frequent breaks from your electronics." While the perfect solution would be to give up these devices altogether, it is unrealistic that people will just stop using their smart phone or laptop. Just remember that constant, daily use may not be a good thing, especially for those who are "wired in" on more than one device. "Just remind yourself to take a break now and again," Dr. Dorn says.

If you are experiencing pain for more than three days, and you think that you might be suffering from text neck, give our office a call at Baltimore Back and Pain Center. Dr. Dorn will properly diagnose the source of your pain, rule out more serious medical conditions, prescribe an effective non-surgical treatment plan that will work to alleviate your pain. We offer convenient appointment times and are located off of I-83 in Hampden, MD. Call the office today at 410-662-4476 for your free chiropractic evaluation. You can also request an appointment online.