Excess Cell Phone Use Causing Neck Pain
As the name indicates, anterior head carriage is a condition where the head is improperly aligned with the neck and shoulders in such a way that the head leans forward at an unnatural angle.
CAUSES:
Spending a lot of time at a computer or desk- Spending a lot of time looking downward such as when using a cell phone to send text messages
- Poor posture while watching television or playing video games
- Sleeping with your head raised too high
- Sports that involve looking downward such as hockey, golf, baseball etc.
- Carrying heavy backpacks or luggage
- Weak neck and back muscles
- Poor ergonomics
- Any other activities not mentioned that cause the head totilt forward
SYMPTOMS:
- Tightness in the neck that reduces the range of motion so that turning the head or tilting it back into the correct position becomes difficult
- Clenching of the teeth that can lead to ear and jaw pain
- Continued inward rounding of the shoulders
- Chest tightness
- Pain in the upper arms as the shoulder muscles begin to tighten
- Numbness and tingling in the lower arms and wrists
- Ear and jaw pain
- Pain across the upper back that radiates down through the middle and lower back
TREATMET:
At Elite Pain Care we provide a total body treatment plan that consists of 3 phases. In the 1st we focus on eliminating your pain and alleviating your symptoms. In the 2nd phase of your treatment plan we focus on rehabilitation with physical therapy to increase strength and flexibility. In the 3rd phase of treatment we provide overall wellness. Wellness care provides patients with preventative care and includes personal fitness training, nutritional counseling, postural improvements as well as stress and anxiety management.
Treatment plans include: Spina Adjustments, which aids in the proper alignment of vertebrae in the spine and remove pressure on nerve roots alleviating pain in the neck. Muscle stimulation to increase blood flow, enable faster recovery of muscle soreness, clears lactic acid and increases fresh oxygen and nutrients. Soft tissue therapy increases range of motion, increases flexibility, and it provides you with proper joint function. Physical therapy is a rehabilitation phase of your treatment where our goal is to increase strength, flexibility and range of motion of your joint.
