The Doctor Is In: Preventing tech neck

If you spend any significant time at computer or staring down at a smartphone, you likely know the pain of "tech neck.”

To talk about the dangers of tech neck and how to prevent it, Sunrise 7 was joined by Dr. Kate Gress of the Wellness Center at Gress Chiropractic.

Tech Neck, is a stress injury that occurs as a result of constant or frequent use of electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, etc.

Symptoms occur due to stress on the spine and nerves from an extended period of the neck being in a forward, flexed, or head-down position.

Some of the symptoms associated with Tech Neck are headaches, neck pain or stiffness, pain or stiffness in the upper back or shoulders, and also pain, numbness, or tingling into the arms and hands. This poor posture cause’s misalignment in the vertebrae which then results in tension on the spinal cord and nerves.

Dr. Gress says the danger happens with prolonged, repetitive Tech Neck posture, degeneration. Tech neck and can lead to more long term damage and symptoms such as loss of the normal cervical (neck) curve, chronic poor posture, headaches, sinus issues, visual disturbances, and other neurological issues.

The good news? It’s reversible.

“Number one is to correct your posture while on your device. Next is to get adjusted by a Chiropractor. We can correct the misalignment that has occurred, as well as give exercises to strengthen the core muscles that support your spine and restore the normal curve,” explained Dr. Gress.

Technology seems To be unavoidable, especially in today’s world. If you have to be on your device, Dr. Gress says to hold it in a neutral position so that you're not in a head-down posture, You should be looking straight ahead. Or maybe a better solution is to get off your phone and have a real conversion with another human.