Everyone uses digital devices to get the latest entertainment, news, education, or communicate with a loved one. While these devices have advantages, they also contribute to certain disadvantages to your body. Spending most of your time using your digital devices can cause discomfort. Using your cell phone may sound simple. However, you can get text neck from the pressure exerted on your neck and spine. Read on to learn more.
What Is Text Neck?
Text neck is a term used to refer to neck pain that results from poor posture from the frequent use of cell phones. Most people who experience this use their phones while holding their heads at an angle that increases pressure on their necks. As a result, the pressure causes strain.
Poor Posture
Poor posture is often the root cause of text neck. The human head weighs 10 to 12 pounds on average. However, bending it further forward or downwards exerts stress on your neck and upper back.
When the head reaches 30 degrees, the pull and pressure equal a 40-pound weight. Leaning it further to 60 degrees increases the head poundage to equal 60 pounds. Since such stress is too much, it pulls your ligaments, muscles, and neck.
Text Neck Symptoms
Once you become aware of the issue, the text neck is usually at an advanced stage. As it pulls on your upper back and spine, your nerves get pinched, and misalignment occurs. Text neck can also cause poor communication between your body and brain due to a weakened spine.
You can watch out for the following symptoms:
- Vision problems
- Headaches
- Spinal curvature
- Pain in the neck, arms, shoulders, and upper back
- Balance problems
- Hunchback
- Spinal disc degeneration
- Muscle spasms
- Pinched nerves
Problems Caused By Text Neck
Text neck can cause severe damage before you realize there is a problem. Most people know they have a problem once they start experiencing neck pain and headaches. Over time, your muscles weaken, your shoulders round forward, and you get a hunched appearance.
Text neck affects the cervical spine and upper back nerves the most. The pulling forward of the head affects spinal curvature and changes the size and shape of the nerves exiting your spine in that area. The nerves are responsible for the operations of your brain, pituitary glands, eyes, hearing, sinuses, and facial muscles. Thus, text neck pinches the nerves and diminishes their function.
Below are some of the problems caused by text neck:
- Disc degeneration
- Headaches
- Arthritis in the cervical region
- Fatigue
- High blood pressure
- Breathing problems
- Vision problems
- Thyroid problems
- Pain in the neck, upper back, and down the arms
- Sinus problems
How A Chiropractic Adjustment Can Treat Text Neck
A chiropractic adjustment can align your cervical spine or neck to its proper position. A sore neck can severely affect your entire spine. Hence, chiropractic care can help restore balance in your body. Your chiropractor can also add exercises and stretches to your treatment. Doing so can restore flexibility and strength to your neck muscles.
For more about recovering from text neck, visit Oropeza Chiropractic Wellness Center at (305) 294-1036 to reach our office in Key West, Florida.