Neck Pain

What exactly is “text neck”?

Because young people especially are more frequently on their devices more than in any other generation, they’re feeling the strain and pain of looking down at their cell phones, computer tablets, and other handheld gadgets.

Leaning your head forward, even just a little, to look down at a screen can cause a severely pinched nerve over time. Over time, you could even flatten the natural curve of your neck and throw your whole spine out of alignment.

The result is numbness, tingling, headaches, and neck pain. Wearing a headset helps, but barring that, it may require a trip to the chiropractor to get relief.

What are some of the other causes of neck pain?

The neck is a particularly sensitive and dangerous part of the body that holds up and support that 14-16 pounds of your head that’s the weight of a heavy bowling ball. The spinal cord, with all the nerves, runs through your back and connects to every part of your body.

A lot of things can cause persistent neck pain, but look out for these most common issues:

• Poor posture. The best rule is to avoid hunching and keep your neck in a neutral position balanced on your shoulders, as much as possible
• Sitting a long time. Being in one position for a long period of time can cause a stiff neck. Support the back, keep knees slightly lower than your hips, and rest your arms.
• Muscle strain. For your neck, a strain could be as simple as sleeping with your pillow in an awkward position overnight.
• Whiplash. Sudden jerking of the neck while playing sports or in car accidents can cause serious neck injuries.
• Deteriorating joints. The cartilage in the neck between the bones can be worn down, and then create bone spurs that cause pain.
• Herniated discs. Nerve compression can occur in the neck when a disc presses on the nerves and causes a stiff neck.

What can Drs. McGowan and Dr. Jenkins do for my neck?

They can give proper adjustments to the neck to relieve pain. They may try traction or use small weights and pulleys to stretch out the neck. Stretching exercises also may be prescribed as part of your physical therapy. Set up an appointment with the experts at the  McGowan Medical Centers for treatment of your neck pain today.a