Do the muscles in your neck feel tight, achy, and overworked? 

Do you or your kids use phones, tablets, or computers on a regular basis?

Your neck is designed to have a forward curve. Constant stress from electronic use can have a slow, negative effect on that curve. If you lose this curve, the bones in your neck won't move properly which leads to inflammation, swelling, and pressure on the nerves. 

The nerves in your neck control your arms, hands, and even muscles in your face, eyes, ears, and throat. We often see symptoms like numb or tingling fingers, weak hands, headaches, migraines, and even chronic ear infections present from problems stemming from the neck.

What Causes Tech Neck? 

A loss in the curve of the neck can potentially affect any of the nerves in your neck and even your upper back. This loss of curve is increasingly more common. But what causes a straight neck, which we commonly call tech neck?

1. Traumas and Accidents - Whiplash injuries, sports accidents, and other accidents from your past can lead to a decreased or reverse curve. 
2. It Never Developed - The forward neck curve develops when we are babies. This primarily happens as we crawl and have tummy time, which ideally forces us to look upward and develop this curve. Decreased tummy time, rushed walking, and even baby activity centers and walkers stop or severely limit the development. 
3. Chronic Looking Down -This is most commonly associated with technology, hence the name "tech neck." Phone use, computer screen time, and TV watching are almost exclusively done while looking down. (Check now - odds are your chin is against your chest right now!) Do that for hours on end, day after day, and you end up with an adapted neck that has no curve.

Is Tech Neck Causing Your Neck Pain in Ann Arbor?

Does your job require you to look at screens for long periods of time? 

Tech neck is a growing source of neck pain in Ann Arbor, and it won’t be going away any time soon with the rising need for jobs in the digital era. If your job requires you to sit at a computer for long periods of time, you may start experiencing neck pain yourself. 

Contact our team today to schedule an appointment and experience lasting relief! 

Easing the Strain of Neck Pain

“I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Nic and his team! I am always greeted by the lovely Kristen or Tracey and they make me feel so welcomed. I suffer from chronic neck, shoulder, and hip pain. Ever since coming to this office I have seen amazing results happen in just a short amount of time. Dr. Nic takes the time to explain treatment and is very thorough with his findings. He is very knowledgeable in this field and I cannot thank him enough for making my life more enjoyable.”

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