Once a way to make phone calls, our mobile phones have become our resource for virtually everything we do: get directions, listen to music, take and share photos, search, shop, socialize, and, yes, even make phone calls.

But all of this phone usage comes at a cost. And sometimes this cost is a condition called “text neck.”

What is text neck? Text neck is neck pain caused by hunching over a mobile device for extended periods of time. Symptoms may include:

• A stiff or sore neck that makes it difficult to turn your head
• Dull, aching pain in one spot or throughout the neck
• Pain that radiates into the shoulder, scapula (shoulder blades), or even arms
• Tension-type headaches or headaches originating from the base of the skull

These symptoms can often lead to posture problems that only make matters worse.

Unlike other neck issues which can have many different causes, text neck comes from one cause: extended mobile device use with the head tilted down.

And it’s no surprise more and more people are suffering from text neck. The average American spends 5.4 hours per day on their phone. The average weight of the human head is between 10-12 pounds. Factor in the increased angle of the head and neck while looking at a phone and you get an increase of about 60 pounds of weight on our necks. For over 5 hours every day.

What can you do to mitigate this pain? There are a few easy ways to treat the pain on your own. The first—and most obvious—thing is simply to decrease the amount of time you spend on your mobile device. If you can’t limit the amount of time on your phone, be sure to take frequent breaks. 

• When possible, keep your phone at eye level. It’s not the phone that’s causing the problem. It’s keeping your head at an angle of 15 degrees or more that’s doing the damage.
• Maintain good posture with your head upright and your shoulder blades pulled back. 
• Exercise! A strong and healthy neck is more resilient against the stress and strain of extended mobile device use.

Of course, if you don’t see results from doing these exercises, we’re here to help.  Our Care Team is ready to walk you through a treatment plan, step by step. You’re just a mobile phone call away from expert pain care, close to home.

If you’re experiencing ongoing neck pain, it may be time to stop reaching for the aspirin and begin looking for an interventional solution.

Neck pain can run the gamut from the occasional discomfort of being bent over a computer to ongoing agony after a fall. In the middle are causes – some obvious, some mysterious – that must be uncovered before treatment can begin to alleviate or eliminate the pain. Among the most common culprits are:

• General poor posture, awkward sleeping positions and everyday stress, which can cause the neck to stiffen and ache, as can repetitive tasks involving the upper body.
• Rear-end automobile accidents, in which the head is rapidly propelled forward and backward, potentially damaging neck muscles, ligaments and nerves or the spine is seriously impacted. [Note: Anyone with severe neck pain or loss of movement or feeling after an accident should get emergency help at once.]
• Athletic injuries, such as those incurred by football players and participants in other full-contact sports.
• So-called “tech neck” or “text neck,” caused by long periods of looking down on devices.
• Pinched nerves caused by bone spurs or herniated discs that put pressure on the nerves in the neck, resulting in neck pain and, sometimes, numbness in the arms and hands.
• Arthritis, when the cartilage that helps cushion the bones in the neck erode.
• Illness, including some cancers, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia and meningitis. When present with other indicators, it also can be a symptom of a heart attack.
• And, as it is in so many health-related issues, tobacco use can be a factor.

In searching for the cause your neck pain, it’s important to completely and accurately share your accompanying symptoms with your physician. These can include achiness and stiffness; shooting pains; numbness; shoulder and arm pain; headache; dizziness; nausea; fever; vomiting; difficulty swallowing or breathing; and anything else that is new or aberrant.

Diagnosis also will include a deep dive into your health history and a physical exam. It may also be necessary to do an MRI and/or CT scan, X-rays and blood tests to get to the bottom of the problem.

Depending on the cause, the solution can be found in many courses of action and treatment, from physical therapy to medication to injections to nerve blocks and ablation. While seldom necessary, surgery also is an option when the patient isn’t getting sufficient relief with other treatments.

To get to that end, your primary physician may refer you to a pain management specialist, a clinician or group with experience in neck injuries and experience in treating the pain they produce. Or you may decide to make pain management your starting point – hopefully with us.

The fact is that persistent neck pain could be a signal for a serious underlying cause and early intervention often is key to addressing it. If you’re ready to take that first step into action, call us for a consultation.

We’re here to help.