Technology is a wonderful thing that helps make each of our lives much easier, but did you know the simple act of reading our email or text messages off of your phone can have serious health implications?

Text Neck is a relatively new phenomenon that is sweeping throughout the chiropractic industry causing many of our patients to experience a great deal of pain. The main area of concern is the Cervical Spine which concerns your upper spinal cord and neck areas. While many of us spend an average of 2 or more hours texting or emailing off of our phones, very few people understand the serious risk associated with texting with improper posture. These risks include: Flattening of the Spinal Curve, Onset of Early Arthritis, Spinal Degeneration, Spinal Misalignment, Disc Herniation, Nerve Damage, Loss of Lung Volume Capacity, Gastrointestinal Problems -The Text Neck Institute

The simple act of recognizing our issue with posture can be the difference between pain from “text neck” symptoms, and a healthy and productive relationship with our smartphones. Many people bend their entire neck down when texting which adds about 60 lbs of force on the cervical spine which, if left uncorrected, could result in structural damage to your bones or spine.

You can prevent future problems by following these steps: Be aware of your posture, Use a tablet holder for tablets, Take frequent breaks if experiencing pain, try looking down with your eyes instead of your entire head.

Already suffering from “text neck” pain? Make an appointment today for an exam at Berman Chiropractic and we’ll create a treatment plan to ease your pain.