Text Neck: A Modern Cause of Neck Pain

Modern technological advances have done the human race a world of good, including higher standards of health and wellness. Occasionally, however, a great leap forward technologically can set your musculoskeletal health back. Such is the case with text neck. This cute-sounding but painful and potentially serious issue is encouraged by constant use of mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. If you're looking for a smart solution to this vexing problem, come to Michaux Family Chiropractic. Our Clermont chiropractor, Dr. Michaux, can administer safe, natural treatments to relieve your pain and help you take the right steps to optimize your cervical spinal posture going forward.

Causes and Symptoms of Text Neck

To understand how simply using your mobile device could possibly hurt you, it's necessary to understand the biomechanics of the neck and head. The head itself weighs about 2 pounds on average, and your cervical spine and neck muscles are tasked with supporting it. This isn't much of a problem when you maintain a truly upright posture from head to foot. But when you habitually lean forward, all the weight of the head goes forward as well. This puts extra pounds of stress on the cervical spine and upper body -- the more severe the angle, the more stress is added. A mere 15-degree forward droop forces the cervical spine to hold up the equivalent of an additional 27 pounds; a full forward droop of 60 degrees adds an astonishing 60 pounds.

As you can imagine, text neck causes problems. Chronic muscle strain can cause constant or recurring neck stiffness and pain; pain and muscle spasms in the upper back are also common. The added stress on the cervical spinal joints may lead to subluxation in the neck. Regular pressure on the cervical discs may promote disc degeneration and/or pinched cervical nerve roots. This results in symptoms associated with cervical radiculopathy such as arm pain, tingling hands, muscle weakness and numbness in the fingers.

Our Clermont Chiropractor Can Relieve Your Case of Text Neck

Bring your case of text neck to our Clermont chiropractor. Dr. Michaux can analyze your cervical spine while discussing your symptoms and mobile device usage with you. Depending on your specific symptoms and the results of the evaluation, you may receive treatment such as:

• Chiropractic adjustment to mobilize subluxation in the neck and restore normal cervical spinal alignment
• Spinal decompression therapy to treat injured/dislocated cervical discs and coax them away from nerve roots
• Massage therapy to relieve muscle spasms and help strained tissues heal themselves
• Physical therapy to build up strength in weakened neck muscles and facilitate a healthier posture

In addition to all of these helpful therapies, we can also provide pointers to help you avoid future bouts of text neck, such as taking frequent "device breaks" to stretch, move and keep your upper body feeling good. Call (352) 243-7300 for an appointment so we can help you live a high-tech life without text neck!