Tips For Relieving Neck Pain Caused By Texting
For many Americans, constant texting on their cell phones has become part of daily life. Unfortunately, the continuous tilting of the head while reading or creating text messages puts an incredible amount of strain on your neck muscles, ligaments and tendons as they hold the head up. Avid users of cell phones in this way often suffer from neck pain that has been dubbed 'text neck'.
This overuse syndrome often brings on severe neck pain, limited range of motion and neck inflammation. Even worse, years of tilting the head forward for extended periods at a time while on the phone or other mobile device can result in premature degeneration of the spine disks. Read on to learn ways to reduce neck pain caused by texting and prevent the onset of 'text neck'.
Body adjustments
The easiest way to avoid 'text neck' is to take occasional breaks while on the phone. However, If you are often texting for extended periods, make it a habit to raise the phone to eye level so as to keep your head upright and reduce the stress placed on the neck or arch your upper back backward once in a while to ease neck strain and relieve pain.
You can also avoid straining your neck by lying on your back with a pillow supporting your neck or opt to periodically text while standing to limit the head-forward posture. Standing up right with your shoulders pulled back helps keep the body properly aligned, preventing neck strain.
Neck stretches and massage
Regularly stretching your neck and shoulders can help alleviate strain caused by constant texting and improve blood flow to your neck, relieving pain. Start by tucking your chin down to the neck and gradually raising it up toward the roof. Next, rotate your head so that you face your shoulder and then turn and face the other shoulder. Finally, rotate your shoulders forward with your arms tucked to the sides of your body and then move the shoulders backwards.
Using a heating pad on a stiff neck can also help relieve pain and increase range of motion. A massage therapist can also work on your ailing neck to stimulate healing and relieve stiffness by applying finger pressure on affected cervical joints.
Neck exercises and massage therapy work to stretch and strengthen the neck muscles which can reduce recurrent flare-ups of pain and make it less painful to move your neck by relieving stiffness in affected neck joints and soft tissue.
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