Tech Neck: What is it & How to Avoid

Dull pain, stiffness, and numbness- if you’re noticing any of these symptoms around your head and neck area, you may be at risk for tech neck! While this new age of technology brought us a more convenient way of communicating, it also produced new hazards. Read on to find out if you have tech neck and what you can do to prevent it in the future.

What is Tech Neck?

Tech neck, also commonly referred to as text neck, is used to describe repetitive stress & damage around the neck/shoulder region after excessive digital device use. Often times, it’s due to incorrect posture.

Signs of Tech Neck

• Non-specific, dull pain in the lower neck, shoulders, and upper back. In the beginning, the discomfort is mild. If the neck pain persists, the pain may escalate. Lying down or taking breaks can help to relieve the pain.
• Headaches. If the neck nerves become compressed due to the strain, it can result in pain not only in the neck, but also at the base of the skull.
• Limited movement or stiffness. Often times, slouching from using your devices can restrict the movement in the muscles of your shoulders and neck. 
• Tingling sensations and loss of feeling. This can happen in the arms or hands. It’s typically caused by inflammation of the spinal nerves. Because your nerves are responsible for controlling movements and sensations, damage to the nerve can lead to this sensation of numbness and tingling.

Additional Symptoms:

• Severe and focused stabbing pain in a particular area
• Heightened pain when bending the head forward and looking down to send text messages
• Discomfort in the jaw caused by misalignment of the neck vertebrae
• Extended periods of using screens can also lead to muscle weakening in the neck, chest, and upper back. This can make it challenging to sustain proper posture, where the ears align directly above the shoulders, thereby exacerbating the symptoms associated with tech neck.

Preventions Tips

• Raise phone closer to eye level
• Fix your posture 
• Limit digital device use or use a tablet/smartphone holder
• Exercise often
• Try physical therapy or see a chiropractor 

If you’re seeing creases begin to form on your neck, try my KD Neck Refirming Therapy! We also offer neck rejuvenation treatments such as a neck wash, neck filler, and more. Call our office to find out what your best option is. To learn more about tech neck, listen to my podcast here!