Neck Specialist Overland Park
There’s a good chance that as you’re reading this you are leaning toward a computer screen with your head in front of your shoulders. If you’re looking at this on your smart phone, your shoulders are most-likely slumped as your head and body are “hunched” over your phone looking at the tiny screen.
Am I correct?
Your smartphone may be causing your headaches and neck pain. A neck specialist Overland Park specializes is neck pain relief.
This posture is causing you pain – whether you realize it or not. ‘Tech neck’, as our neck specialist Overland Park calls it, is the neck pain caused by the frequent use of electronics (computers, phones, video games.) “These devices almost encourage poor posture,” explained Dr. Corey Fulk, neck specialist Overland Park, “They force the head into a forward position – putting pressure on the neck for extended periods of time.”
Your Smart Phone is a Pain in the Neck
Your head weighs 10 pounds in a normal position (when your ears are directly above your shoulders.) For every inch you move your head forward, the pressure on your spine doubles. If you’re holding your smartphone in your lap, your neck is trying to hold up the equivalent of 20 or 30 pounds.
Over time, the weight of your head (while your neck is in a compromised position) puts pressure on the neck muscles and bones. If you stretch the tissue for long periods of time it becomes inflamed. This breaks down the soft tissue between the vertebrae in the neck and ultimately leads to degeneration (arthritis).
Millennials Prefer to Text. Now we know why.
As any parent of a teenager or twenty-something will agree, sending a text message is the top choice of communication for this age. Most college students send more than 100 texts a day. With 75% of 12-17 year olds owning a cell phone, texting reached an all-time high in 2013.
Millennials primarily use their phone for voice calls when talking with parents and other adults, but they prefer texting.
Why? It’s quick and efficient, and it allows them to stay connected between classes or breaks at work, without the formalities required in a phone call. They can share their daily experiences or just say “hello” to show a friend they’re thinking of them.
Unlimited texting plans certainly haven’t helped to slow down the time spent on this form of communication.
Mom always said, “Be careful or it might stay like that…”
Turns out, Mom was right.
The long-term effects of ‘tech neck’ are becoming obvious. Dr. Corey Fulk, neck specialist Overland Park, explained that he started seeing more patients seeking headache treatment and neck pain relief about 5 years ago. Now, the requests for these treatments are almost twice what they were in 1998.
Staying in what a neck specialist Overland Park calls “forward head posture” leads to muscle strain, disc herniations and pinched nerves. Over time, the pressure on the joints can flatten and even reverse the natural C-curve in your neck.
A neck specialist Overland Park from Fulk Chiropractic specializes in neck pain relief through chiropractic treatment. Open 7 Days a Week, their 11 Overland Park chiropractors provide services to the Kansas City community when they need it most. To learn more, call 913-764-6237 and ask to speak with one of our doctors or schedule an appointment online.