Phone ( text) Neck Syndrome

The smartphone emerges as an inevitable gadget in modern society and its increased usage results in neck disorders among its users.

If you are here and reading this article, you are likely someone who has been suffering  with “text neck” or “phone neck syndrome". The term "Phone Neck Syndrome" describes our health condition that develops  from frequent usage of screens especially cell phones while we are texting and scrolling. This sometimes controversial diagnosis was probably given following a physical examination where headaches and neck pain were present and your doctor asked you about your cell phone and computer use. But beyond headache and neck pain, you may have come to this article because you may have “mysterious” and unexplainable symptoms. We will discuss these symptoms below.

An epidemic of text (phone) neck syndrome.

In today’s digital world: • 65.7% of the global population is online. - Why are we talking about the pandemic usage of the screens especially phones? Because the widespread of the health problems – the text neck syndrome has influenced incredible number of the Earth population. - So,what do you think, how many people are affected by the phone (text) syndrome? The prevalence, independent of age, is high, and equal to low back pain. Epidemiological data indicate that 73% of university students and64.7% of people who work have neck or back pain. 39.2% of them admit to being less productive due to neck or low back pain (nearly two-thirds, around70% of working adults. It’s becoming one of the most widespread issues of our time, and it’s taking a serious toll on our health. • Americans spend an average of 7 hours and 3 minutes daily on screens, equal to the amount of time we should spend sleeping. Average Screen Time - internet-connected devices among users in the US is 7 hours and 3 minutes (vs. global average of 6 hours and 40minutes). On average, screen time in the US remained almost unchanged since2021 (from 7 hours 4 minutes in 2021 to 7 hours 3 minutes in 2023). https://www.statista.com/statistics/619830/smartphone-average-price-in-the-us/

DO YOU HEAR CLEARLY? Yes, 7 hours and 3 minutes So, nowadays this screen time should be compared to the time required for our night sleep !!!

Prolonged periods of looking down at our phones will weaken and overstretch the ligaments along the neck, leading to “text neck.” The head is heavy, and the longer it is kept in a head-forward/flexed position, the greater the pressure on these ligaments. The frequent and prolonged flexion of the neck causes degenerative changes to the curve of the cervical spine and all the structures that support the neck. As the ligament weakness ensues, the forward head position worsens, and the ligaments can no longer keep the vertebrae in their proper alignment. To protect and stabilise the vital structures running through the neck, including the spinal cord, neck muscles will tighten and spasm. What we may feel is neck pain, tension headaches, and tingling sensations, among many other symptoms.

What are the symptoms of text neck syndrome?

• Muscle tension and pain especially in the upper back and neck by the occiput or base of the skull.
• Tightness across the shoulders, headaches, and neck soreness.
• Pain in the back, arms, fingers, hands, wrists, and elbows. Some sufferers may also notice numbness and tingling in their upper extremities.

Severe symptoms of text neck syndrome

As we will discuss further below, the cervical neck ligaments, the supporting structures that hold the neck bones in place, become stretched and damaged. When the ligaments cannot hold the bones of the neck in place, the bones wander. When the neck bones wander they can compress the nerves, the carotid sheath, and/or spinal cord.

• The two most common mechanisms by which severe symptoms arise are:
  • venolymphatic drainage compression (fluid gets backed up in the brain, this is explained further below) leading to intracranial hypertension and alterations of brain function and,
  • cervicovagopathy (cervical-induced vagus nerve injury or signal interference) causing dysautonomia and systemic inflammation.

Anatomical, Neurological, and Psychiatric Symptoms

Now let’s listen to doctors at Kore University of Enna in Italy. In their paper, the doctors sought to better understand the mysterious psychological side of Text Next Syndrome. After reviewing previously published studies they wrote in October 2022 in the journal Clinical Neuropsychiatry (2): “The overall results (outcomes) showed a strong association between (non-specific/chronic musculoskeletal disorder in neck, head or low back (that are called Upper Disorders)  and mood disturbance, anxiety, depression, stress, alexithymia (the inability to express emotions), and low social support. Thus, high levels of Upper Disorders were associated with high levels of psychological disease.

What to do with such an incredible widespread consequences? How minimise the negative effect of prolonged screens usage? 

The logical solution of the problem and answers to the questions above you'll find shortly. We are here to assist you:

According to the human anatomical and physiological science,the firm surface under the head while we're sleeping can give us the desired effect counterbalancing the negative influence of phone screens usage and prevent us from the phone neck syndrome. Our Wooden Pillow by Unusually Usual is designed to counterbalance screen-induced health problems. Crafted to ensure your neck and spine are in perfect alignment during sleep, this revolutionary pillow supports the natural curvature of the body—alleviating pressure, pain, and strain.

 So, right now, the question to you:  How do you describe a good pillow?

Take a look here below:

·      The Perfect PillowSupports Your Head and Spine Well. ...

·      Its Material HasCooling Properties. ...

·      The Material IsHypoallergenic. ...

·      A Perfect Pillow IsEasy to Clean. ...

·      It Fits Your Budget…in our case, this is one time life purchase with the LIFETIME WARRANTY of the product.

·      It Has RemovableCovers.

·       plus variable/adjustable ….

·       And what it is very important- the pillow of the firm surface.You’ll ask- How can the pillow be firm?  It is the contradiction in terms. 

Guess, why we' re talking about such a different things: about the human achievements in high tech field on one hand, especially about the widespread usage of the screens and about the features of a good pillow on the other hand?

We must 7-7.5average hours of our daily screens time counterbalance with the same hours of our sleep time using the exceptionally good pillow for our sleep routine for the same 7-7.5 hours, during our night sleep keeping our head, neck, and spine,all in neutral alignment, and support the natural curvature of our neck and spine. Keeping a neutral spine not only alleviates neck pain, it also relieves pressure throughout your entire body.

Nevertheless of the exceptional simplicity of the wooden pillow it gives as a counterweight to our health problems caused by the screens!

NEUTRAL NECK AND SPINE ALIGNMENT – the most required things during our sleep time! Those features can be provided to you by the set of the wooden pillow by Unusually Usual! It means we , by your own conscious decision and choice you can do the contrary “thing” to your daily routine in a passive form-   while you are sleeping☺.  

Without physiotherapist , without remedies, without the special dedicated time for your exercises trying to keep your neck and spine healthy.

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Read more:‍

Text Neck Syndrome: Disentangling a New Epidemic

NIH   NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

National Center forBiotechnology Information

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9982850/

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