Most people spend a little over three hours on their phone every day. With the prolonged use of technology, it’s inevitable that issues will develop. If you experience neck strain, discomfort, or pain looking down at a screen, you may be experiencing a condition known as tech neck. This condition can cause potential issues, but don’t worry: there are things you can do to prevent long-term consequences.  

What is Tech Neck?

Tech Neck, also known as cervical kyphosis, is a chronic condition that develops from the prolonged use of technology, especially the use of smartphones, tablets, and computers. Looking down at screens can cause poor posture: the shoulders slump forward and the neck muscles become strained. This posture causes fatigue on the nerve supply in your neck, causing pain. Over time, this force and effort puts uneven pressure on your spine, which can cause long-term problems, such as a neck hump or changes to the natural curvature of your spine. 

This condition is not new but has gotten worse in recent years due to the development and availability of technology. 

Symptoms of Tech Neck

• Neck pain — Can range from mild to severe radiating pain

• Jaw pain — Pain of discomfort when chewing or opening your mouth wide

• Stiffness  and reduced mobility — Difficulty moving your neck or tiling your head

• Shoulder tension — Pain and tenderness in the shoulders or upper back

• Headaches — Frequent or persistent headaches, especially at the base of your head

Numbness or tingling can develop in your arms and hands. But this only happens in severe cases and could be a sign you have a problem that could cause serious issues in the future. This may also be a sign to seek professional treatment. 

How to Prevent and Fix Tech Neck:

To prevent tech neck, you should follow these steps:

• Adjust your screen height — Keep your phone or monitor at eye level to avoid looking down.

• Take frequent breaks — Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

• Improve posture — Sit up straight with your shoulders relaxed and your back supported.

• Use ergonomic accessories — Consider a standing desk, a chair with very good lumbar support, or an external keyboard to promote better posture

• Stay active — Regular exercise, especially strengthening your core and upper back, can help maintain proper posture.

• Stretch and strengthen — Stretches can help release tension and promote better posture. Good exercises for tech neck include:
  • Chin tucks: Pull your chin back to align your head over your shoulders.
  • Neck stretches: Gently tilt your head side to side and forward/backward.
  • Shoulder rolls: Roll your shoulders forward and backward.

• Utilize instant pain relief — If you need a quick solution you can relax tight muscles using a heating pad or reduce inflammation by applying an ice pack. If needed, you can use ibuprofen or acetaminophen to reduce pain and inflammation.

Chiropractic Treatment

If you have incorporated the above tips but are still experiencing persistent neck pain and stiffness, headaches, numbness/tingling in your arms or hands, or limited neck mobility, you may want to seek professional treatment. A chiropractor can provide non-invasive, drug-free relief and prevent long-term spinal issues. Chiropractic care includes:

• Adjustments — An adjustment can help you maintain proper spinal alignment, which will improve posture and alleviate muscle stress. An adjustment can also relax muscles, release compressed nerves, dissipate tension, and restore the proper movement and function of your neck and upper back. 

• Soft tissue manipulation — Massage can help release muscle tension, reduce knots, and improve blood circulation. Myofascial release can break down the tight connective tissue that contributes to stiffness.

• Professional advice — Chiropractors can assess your posture and suggest corrections for sitting, standing, and using devices properly. They may recommend ergonomic changes like raising your screen height, adjusting chair support, and modifying your workstation to prevent future tech neck issues. 

• Exercises — Chiropractors guide you through specific exercises to strengthen weak muscles (upper back, core) and stretch tight ones (neck, shoulders). They can show you how to properly do chin tucks, scapular retractions, and neck stretches to promote long-term posture correction.

Be Aware of Your Posture

Don’t let scrolling or working on a device give you neck and back problems. Be smart and be aware of your posture when going about your day. You can save a lot of money and pain if you take care of your neck, shoulders, and back. Your future self will thank you for following all the tips for preventing tech neck and visiting your local chiropractor when professional treatment is needed.

Those with chronic pain experience many symptoms that are debilitating. Chronic pain often makes it hard to complete daily tasks. Neck pain, back pain, restless leg, migraines, and more can be considered chronic. If you experience chronic pain, seeking the help of a chiropractor can help manage your symptoms and make daily life more manageable. Chiropractic care has become more popular for those wanting non-invasive treatment. Seeking the help of a chiropractor can help individuals avoid surgery, strong medication, or adverse side effects. Learn more in this blog about how chiropractic can be used to treat chronic pain.

When Pain Becomes Chronic

Many illnesses or injuries can lead to pain, but chronic pain is when it starts to affect your work day, school work, driving, or household tasks. Chronic pain can make it hard for individuals to get out of bed, go out, or focus on a task. Those who are at risk for chronic pain often have underlying issues such as:

• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Depression
• IBS
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Emotional Trauma
• Autoimmune Disorders

Reduce Dependence On Medication

Those with chronic pain often take medications to reduce the pain, and inflammation, or mask other symptoms. Seeking chiropractic treatment can help reduce inflammation, thus limiting the need for medication. Some medications are addictive, cause deterioration in the body, or have very negative side effects. While you want to manage your pain, it can be risky to take medication frequently.

Chiropractic treatment focuses on adjusting the spine and reducing inflammation with massage. Chiropractic can limit chronic pain without the need for medication and help you feel better in all aspects. Regular appointments will help manage your pain and have helped many patients stay away from hard pain-relieving medication. 

More Personalized Treatment

The biggest benefit of chiropractic is that chiropractors make more of an effort to create an individualized treatment plan. Many doctors who treat chronic pain will apply the same methods or medication to all their patients. Chiropractic will be customized to your specific needs and what currently bothering you most. Working with a chiropractor usually starts with combing through your health history and a physical examination. This will allow them to get a good overview of your current health and proceed with an individualized treatment plan. 

Common Treatments For Pain

When it comes to treatment for any kind of pain, there are a few methods that may be used to help limit your chronic pain. Some chiropractors will combine multiple methods for more well-rounded care, especially if you experience pain in different parts of your body. Chiropractors will use different methods depending on your pain, age, and past health history. Here are some common treatment types of treatment for chronic pain.

• Joint mobilization: These are gentle movements that help improve the range of motion in different joints. Rhythmic movements are used to break up fluid or inflammation and help improve walking, running, lifting, or bending. 
• Myofascial release: Myofascial release involves applying pressure to tight or knotted muscles, similar to massage, to relieve tension. This method is a more complex method that massage therapists use that will help limit pain without risk of injury or paralization. 
• Hot and cold therapy: Cold treatment is used to reduce inflammation and hot treatments help promote relaxation. Hot treatments can also improve blood flow to muscles or painful areas of the body. Hot and cold treatments that are done correctly can promote new cell growth and faster healing.
• Spinal adjustment: Most chiropractic appointments will focus on aligning the spine. The spine helps connect your brain to the other parts of your body so that you can heal and get all the proper nutrients. Putting joints back in place will reduce pressure on surrounding nerves and muscles.
• Acupuncture: Another holistic treatment that can be done by chiropractors is acupuncture. Putting needles into specific pressure points will relieve pain and promote relaxation. 

Chiropractic Care From Health & Wellness

Our team offers many different treatment methods to help limit chronic pain or the risk of injuries. Health & Wellness has two doctors and multiple staff members to help you have a great experience, no matter what type of pain you experience. Many of our staff members speak English and Spanish to help serve a wide range of clients. Our office is dedicated to helping you heal without the need for surgery or strong medications. Reach out to our Layton office to start your journey to a pain-free life.