Text neck is a relatively new phenomenon that is occurring due to our society’s increasing dependence on technology and mobile devices. Look around a coffee shop or the bus stop and you will see people with their cell phones in hand and their head and neck bent toward the screen. You might be surprised to learn that this posture can actually cause a repetitive stress injury to the neck. However, more and more people are seeking out pain relief treatment for neck pain caused by hunching over to text on our phones or type on our laptops. Doctors are continuing to innovate and provide neck pain treatment for people who have what’s colloquially known as text neck.
Signs and Symptoms of Text Neck
If you spend hours a day on your phone hunched over and looking at the screen then you might start to experience the pain of text neck. Here are some signs and symptoms of text neck and how they can start to affect your daily life:
Neck and Back Pain
Neck and back pain are most common with text neck because your head and neck are bent forward for long periods of time. This disrupts the healthy posture of the spine, where your head, neck, and upper back are more naturally in line with one another. When you hunch forward, it causes your neck muscles to strain in supporting this new posture. It can also put pressure on your spine and upper back. Here are some of the most common causes of neck pain and treatment.
Shoulder Pain
The hunched forward posture common with text neck also impacts the shoulders and can lead to shoulder pain. When you lean your head forward and are constantly looking down at your phone in your hands, it can cause your shoulders to raise up toward your ears. Healthy posture involves your shoulders down and relaxed, so raising your shoulders up for long periods at a time can put a lot of stress and strain on these joints.
Rounded Posture
The hunched over, rounded posture can negatively impact your spinal health and functioning. Your neck and back will start to compromise for this position and vertebrae will become misaligned, which can disrupt their functioning. The muscles that support your neck and back can also become weakened and unable to provide stability and support for a healthy posture. This rounded posture puts a lot of pressure on certain vertebrae, which can also lead to bulging discs and nerve pain.
Headaches
Misalignments in the spine and unhealthy functioning can lead to headaches. When the neck and back are strained for long periods of time, it can also cause stress or tension headaches. Headaches are quite literally head pain, and it is common to experience these when your head is in a slightly forward and bent position. You may also develop headaches due to eye strain from looking at screens for too much time.
Reduced Range of Motion
When your body starts to get used to this new posture, it can actually weaken the range of motion in your neck, back, and shoulders. The muscles and supportive tissues of these areas are not designed to support a rounded or hunched posture. Damage to these soft tissues can lead to stiffness, pain, and even swelling in the area. Stiff, weakened muscles can lead to a reduced range of motion, making it more difficult for you to turn your head from side to side or hold yourself in a healthy posture.
Treating Text Neck Pain
Your doctor can provide neck pain treatment to address your text neck pain by utilizing a variety of treatment approaches. Treating text neck pain will involve addressing your pain symptoms as well as the root cause of that pain. In the case of text neck, that means improving your posture habits, especially while using your cell phone or other handheld devices for long periods of time. Your doctor will help you improve your posture and also increase flexibility and strength in your neck. The muscles and supportive tissues that have been stretched and strained to support this unhealthy posture will need to relearn healthy postural habits. Stretches and exercises can help improve strength, flexibility, and range of motion in the area.
To learn more about neck pain treatment for text neck, visit a doctor at AICA Orthopedics. Our team of chiropractors, orthopedic doctors, physical therapists, and neurologists work together to provide you with comprehensive and individualized care to address your neck pain.
