Dr. Curtis McElroy

Category: Tech Neck

  • Is Tech Neck Reversible

    Is Tech Neck Reversible?

    Tech neck is simply the soreness you feel in your neck when you’ve spent too much time looking down at your mobile device.

    More than just soreness, you may be experiencing actual pain in your neck and upper back. It’s become more common now that smartphones and tablets are used by more people around the world. The soreness and pain can become chronic if not treated, and sometimes require the help of a medical professional and physical therapy.

    It can be reversed!

    Before it becomes medically necessary to feel relief, you can do a few things yourself to reverse “tech-neck” and the symptoms. These include:

    Limit your device usage. It really is that simple. Be aware of how much time you’ve been spending on your device and make a point of setting it aside for a few hours.

    Take micro-breaks. Set an alarm on your device for every hour and when it goes off, set the device down and walk away. Take a micro-break of 1-2 minutes. Stretch your body and give your neck a break.

    Bruegger’s. This is an exercise you can do during each break you take. Sit at the edge of your seat. Spread your legs hip wide and turn your feet out at a 45-degree angle. Let your arms hang loosely at your side. Have your palms facing forward. Sit up straight in a neutral position (neither leaning forward or backward). Tilt your head back so it is directly over your shoulders (align your head with your neck with your spine). Take 5 deep breaths, slowly inhaling and slowly exhaling. Repeat as needed. Doing this every hour for 1-2 minutes should provide great relief. Make it a habit and you should stop the “tech neck” symptoms.

    Neck stretches. Start by relaxing your shoulders and lightly holding on to your thighs or your chair. Tilt your head toward your left shoulder and hold for 15 seconds. Use your hand to gently pull your head toward your shoulder. Let the weight of your head stretch your muscles. Repeat 2 to 4 times toward each shoulder.

    Diagonal neck stretch. Turn your head in the direction toward your right. Tilt your head down toward your chest while on a diagonal and hold for 15 seconds. Keep your breathing steady. Do the same as you look toward your left. Repeat 2 to 4 times each side.

    Use a Cervical Roll. The neck naturally has a C-shaped curve and it can be flattened or reversed by “tech neck”. A cervical roll is a simple way to get the curve back. Take a small hand towel and roll it lengthwise. Rubber band or tape it to keep the roll tight. Lay on your back on a flat surface and place the roll at the base of your neck. Don’t put it under your head. Relax and rest on the roll for 15 minutes a day.

    Get adjusted. Osteopathic and Chiropractic adjustments help restore normal joint and skeletal functions, relieving and eliminating muscle tension. Getting a neck adjustment is a simple treatment that will help reverse the effects of “tech neck”.

  • Tech Neck Can Become Painful

    Tech Neck Can Become Painful

    Does this sound like you?

    You use a smartphone or tablet a lot. Every day. Sometimes for a few hours or more each time you use them. Maybe you’re texting friends or business associates. Maybe you’re browsing the internet looking for great deals. Maybe you’re exploring new apps. Or maybe you’re using an app to read a book or document. A few hours have passed and you notice a bit of pain behind your eyes.

    You look away from your device and realize that you have a small headache. Then you raise your head. That’s when you feel the soreness and stiffness. You set aside your phone or tablet and begin to massage your neck as you look up and stretch a bit. When you feel relief, you pick up your phone or tablet and get back to doing what you were doing.

    If this is you, then be very careful. The small soreness and headaches will become much more painful and other symptoms will appear.

    The headache will become unbearable. It will begin at the back of your head and settle behind your eyes and will distract you to the point of not being able to concentrate. You can take aspirin or a pain reliever, but it will be a temporary fix.

    The pain the neck will be more than just a bit of soreness that a hand massage or stretch can relieve. It will become a hot pain that doesn’t go away with a simple massage or even through various stretching techniques. It will actually become more painful as you attempt to stretch it away.

    Your upper back, between your shoulders, will feel very sore and that soreness won’t be relieved with anything less than a deep massage or physical therapy.

    The small of your back will be sore throughout the day, whether you’re on your mobile device or not. Trying to relieve the soreness with a lumbar support or pillow or heating pad may work, but it won’t make the pain go away.

    Another symptom of “tech neck” you aren’t likely prepared for is the numbness and tingling of your fingers. The kind of numbness that really doesn’t go away even after you’ve stopped using your mobile device, massaged and stretched your fingers. This lead directly to loss of strength. Not enough that you can’t hold your mobile device, but enough to not be able to open jars or move stacks of books on your desk. It will be noticeable.

    Prevention begins with awareness. Now that you know what is causing the pain you are experiencing, you can take action to stop it from becoming worse.

  • Simple Exercises To Prevent Tech Neck

    Simple Exercises You Can Do To Prevent Tech Neck

    Prevention of “tech neck” is better than treatment any day.

    If you begin using these tips and exercises now, you can prevent actual damage that will need medical attention.

    Here are a few tips and exercises you can do to prevent “tech neck”:

    Walk away. Really. Put down your mobile device, walk away from the laptop or desktop and go for a walk. Or stretch your arms and legs to release the tension. It would be a great time to go for a 15-minute walk around the house, the park, the parking lot. If you have a favorite exercise like yoga or hula hoop, do it.

    Skincare. Just as you take care of your face with moisturizers and cleansers, do the same with your neck. Neck skin is delicate and two times thinner than the skin on your face. This is why neck wrinkles will happen before facial wrinkles will. And, “tech neck” certainly contributes to wrinkles on the neck. So, take care of your neck as you do your face.

    Stop resting your chin on your hands. When looking at your laptop or desktop monitor, resting your chin on your hands leads to stretching the skin around your neck. The same is true when you bend your neck to hold your phone while taking phones calls. Use headphones, prevent wrinkles.

    Side stretch neck exercise. Place four of your right-hand fingers on the left side of your forehead, and then place your left hand on your shoulder. With your right elbow parallel to the floor, gently pull your head to the right and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

    Tilt stretch neck exercise. You will need a hand towel. Hold the ends of the towel in each hand, wrap the middle of the towel around the back of your head, gently pull your head down and use your neck muscles to resist. Repeat 8 times. Do this gently and slowly.

    Neck and hand stretch. Stand with your feet in line with your hips. Put the palm of your hand against the side of your head. Your elbow is in line with your shoulder and your upper arm is in line with the floor. Standing straight, gently push the palm of your hand against your head, pushing your head toward your shoulder. You will feel a gentle stretch in your neck. Hold for 10 seconds, and then slowly return to the starting position and switch sides. This should be painful – if it is, you are pushing too hard or holding longer than 10 seconds.

    Do these tips and exercises now and you will not only prevent “tech neck” but you will develop a healthy physical routine that will benefit your mind and body for years to come.

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy