Having more headaches and neck pain lately? It could be from how you use your phone! The aching and squeezing from muscle contractions at the base of the neck are often a result of the head position we subject ourselves to day in and day out.Long lengths of times spent looking down at our phones weakens and overstretches the ligaments along the neck, leading to “text neck.” The head is heavy, and the longer it is kept in a head-forward/flexed position, the greater the pressure on these ligaments. In fact, the force increases approximately 10 pounds for every inch of forward head posture! The frequent and prolonged flexion of the neck causes degenerative changes to the curve of the cervical spine and all the structures that support the neck. As the ligament weakness ensues, the forward head position worsens, and the ligaments can no longer keep the vertebrae in their proper alignment. To protect and stabilize the vital structures running through the neck, including the spinal cord, neck muscles will tighten and spasm. What we may feel is neck pain, tension headaches, tingling sensations, among many other symptoms.
Massage, chiropractic care, or physical therapy can often provide symptomatic relief from text neck. When these first-line methods are only providing temporary relief but not curing the problem, the ligaments may be permanently overstretched, and the normalcurve of the spine could be compromised. The treatment to strengthen ligaments is known as prolotherapy or regenerative injection therapy. As the ligaments strengthen, the treatment focus may advance to restoring a more normal cervical spine curve. Once the issue has been medically resolved, having better posture while using the phone, performing regular upper body exercise, and utilizing accessories like headsets or features like voice-to-text can help prevent recurrences.
