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Text Neck: How Screen Time Negatively Affects Your Body

Mobile phones use electromagnetic radiation to receive and transfer data. It may cause brain tumor, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and more. Furthermore, spending long hours looking down at your cellphone can lead to severe pain in your upper back or the text neck syndrome. It is a repetitive stress injury or discomfort in the neck caused due to excessive use of handheld devices over long periods. There is an extensive range of treatment options available; physiotherapy in NE Calgary could be a good one for you. At Northgate Physiotherapy Chiropractic & Massage Therapy Centre, our therapists ensure you a faster recovery. We also provide kinesiology taping and vestibular rehabilitation services. What Causes Text Neck? Text neck is usually caused by keeping your head in a forward flexed position while using a smartphone. If you maintain this posture for many hours continuously, it increases the pressure on your upper back muscles, intervertebral discs and shoulders. This causes acute and chronic neck pain and headaches. This condition is on a rise because of the ever-increasing popularity of electronic devices. It can lead to the inflammation of neck ligaments, nerve irritation and an increased curvature in the spine. Symptoms of Text Neck Persistent neck pain is a major symptom of this syndrome. Some of the others we have collated are: • Pain on one side of your neck, shoulder blade or arm • Numbness or a tingling sensation in your arm, hand or fingers • A stiff neck • Difficulty in lifting up your head after looking down for hours • Chronic upper back pain and muscle spasms • Pain and tightness in the shoulders • Weakness of muscles and a loss of lung capacity • Flattening of thoracic kyphosis and disc compression • Early onset of arthritis and spinal degeneration Are you experiencing any of these symptoms? They can be successfully treated with efficient physiotherapy in NE Calgary. Our highly trained and experienced therapists at Northgate Physiotherapy Chiropractic & Massage Therapy Centre can help you. Tips to Prevent Neck Pain Practice good sitting postures to ensure there is no excess pressure on your spine. If you suffer from chronic neck pain, engaging in regular physical activity is also essential for you. Here are a few suggestions you can keep in mind while using smartphones: • Raise the phone and other devices to eye level so you don’t have to tilt your head forward. • Take regular breaks and avoid excessive use of electronic devices. • Maintain good posture to keep your body in a neutral position. • Arch your neck backwards periodically to ease muscle pain. Physiotherapy for Text Neck At Northgate Physiotherapy Chiropractic & Massage Therapy Centre, our physiotherapists can show you how to stretch your neck and vertebrae. They help identify limitations or dysfunctions in your back that contribute to your discomfort. They also offer you tips on improving your posture. Manipulations and exercises may be used to relieve stiffness and restore the normal function of your neck. We may also recommend using a heating pad for pain relief. It increases the blood flow to the affected area and helps the muscles to recover faster. Before any form of physical excercise, it is also helpful to apply deep tissue massage, along with electrical stimulation and ultrasound. Some of the techniques physiotherapists use to treat text neck are: Cervical Traction This technique gently extends the neck and opens the spaces between the cervical vertebrae. It temporarily alleviates the pressure on the affected discs. Your physiotherapist can either do it continuously or intermittently, alternating between short periods of pulling and resting. Exercises Exercising helps restore your neck movement and muscle strength. It ensures optimal recovery and prevents future episodes; your flexibility and general fitness are improved. Choose exercises carefully if you don’t want to worsen your pain (some low-impact team sports may also be helpful). Trigger Point Therapy This is a remedial massage therapy where direct pressure is applied on specific muscle points to reduce pain. It can be carried out every month based on the severity of your condition. If you are seeking physiotherapy in NE Calgary, Northgate Physiotherapy Chiropractic & Massage Therapy Centre is the place for you. We also offer chiropractic services. Contact us today!

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