TEXT NECK SYNDROME

"Text Neck Syndrome" or "Turtle neck posture" is a repeated stress injury (RSI) or occupational disorder, characterized by pain in the neck resulting from excessive watching or texting on hand held devices e.g. mobile phone over a long period of time. It is a modern era problem due to constant increase in hours spent with mobile phones.

Latest research shows that adults and even teenagers are spending more than 4-5 hours per day, with their smart phones. The problem lies with posture of head and neck during mobile usage. Tilting head forwards and downwards, puts lot of strain over neck, shoulder and upper spine. e.g. Tilting the head forward to 15 degrees places about 27 pounds of force on the neck. This increases to 40 pounds at 30 degrees, 49 pounds at 45 degrees and 60 pounds at 60 degrees.@drsanjeevspainclinic

Symptoms:

1. Pain and stiffness in neck after prolonged usage of mobile phone. Dull aching or sharp-stabbing pain, localized to one area or spreading over shoulder, upper spine or to arms.

2. Muscular weakness of shoulders muscles esp. trapezius, rhomboids and shoulder external rotators.

3. Headache due to upper neck muscle (sub-occipital muscle) tightness.

4. Shoulder pain, upper back pain, and increased thoracic curve (kyphosis).

5. Early changes of cervical spondylosis, cervical disc prolapse, facet joint pain.@drsanjeevspainclinic

How to prevent it?

1. Avoid excessive usage of mobile phones and take frequent breaks (5 min breaks every 30 minutes)

2. Avoid looking downwards while using mobile phone.

3. Keep your elbows bent on desk, so that mobile phone is at eye level.

4. Keep distance of minimum 1 foot or 30-40cm between eyes and phone screen.

5. Avoid prolonged static postures.

6. Avoid holding large or heavy devices in one hand for long duration.@drsanjeevspainclinic

Treatment depends upon associated features like muscle spasm, trigger points, facet joint arthropathy, cervical disc prolapse, shoulder muscle weakness or tightness.

- Anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxants medicines for pain relief.

- Correction of neck/ shoulder posture.

- US guided muscle trigger point injections.

- US guided acessory or dorsal scapular nerve block.

- US or Fluoroscopy guided cervical facet injection or Medial branch block/RFA.

- Fluoroscopy guided cervical epidural injection.@drsanjeevspainclinic