Text Neck: What Is It & How to Prevent It

Are you reading this in a position that might pose a health risk to you? What kind of posture do you have? Do you tilt your head forward, round your shoulders, or slump? Have you noticed any stiffness in your neck or shoulders after scrolling through social media for a few hours? If so, you may be experiencing text neck. Modern technology has led to the emergence of text neck. Take a look at the symptoms of text neck caused by bad posture while looking at your device.

What Is Text Neck?

Text neck describes pain in the upper back and neck caused by texting. The epidemic of text neck is a growing problem due to the use of smartphones, handheld computers, and video games by so many people, especially children. Despite its humorous name, it is becoming more common among doctors' offices as people spend more and more time sitting in front of screens. Increasing pressure and weight by looking down at your device can cause you to lose muscle tone, tear your tendons, and even misalign your spine. Several health problems can result, including weakened muscles, damage to your soft tissue, permanent changes to your spine, and even bad posture.

Prevent Text Neck

People are unlikely to stop using their devices or looking down at them. Nevertheless, we should be aware of the bad posture texting can cause and take steps to avoid spending so much time with our heads in this position. You can reduce the pressure on your neck by simply raising your smartphone to eye level. In addition, we spend too much time sitting (which poses its own problems). To prevent neck and back pain, you should take frequent breaks and stretch at least every hour.

Chiropractic Treatment for Text Neck Symptoms

Getting chiropractic care can be an effective way to treat text neck. A chiropractor can adjust misaligned joints, stretch weakened muscles, and perform exercises to strengthen them. An x-ray may be taken following a physical examination to determine whether the text neck has caused any problems and how advanced it is. Then, chiropractors develop treatment plans to correct problems, reduce text neck symptoms, and restore nerve function. 

You might be suffering from text neck if you are experiencing neck pain. Schedule a consultation with Markson Chiropractic today. We provide a variety of natural treatments and long-term solutions to correct your bad posture, so you have the best possible chance of healing.