The Surprising Truth About Text Neck

You may have heard the term “Text Neck” in the news, on social media, or in a discussion among friends. Although this condition is increasingly discussed, it has yet to be taken very seriously. A number of our patients complain of the symptoms of this condition, though not all of them believe their neck pain began with staring at their phones. Text Neck is very real and poses a serious risk.

Text Neck is a result of staring down or staying hunched over an activity for too long.  This posture isn’t exactly new; people have done this for centuries with books, drawings, sewing, and many other activities. The condition is referred to as “Text Neck” because the saturation of mobile devices, and our cultural addiction to them, have multiplied the amount of time we spend hunched over.

Your head weighs, on average, around 10 pounds. With a healthy spine, you never have to think about that weight; your neck manages it with ease. As you bend your neck forward, the stress on your cervical spine increases exponentially. Some experts say that the stress on your cervical spine doubles with every inch your head tilts down.

While you’re staring down at your shiny new phone, the stress on your cervical spine has increased to 50 pounds! Now take into account that you could spend around three hours a day staring at your phone and it adds up to extreme stress on your neck.

Is Text Neck Really a Problem?

You’ve probably been staring at your device for years and haven’t noticed any problems. That’s where this condition’s insidious nature is important to understand. Its effects are subtle but cumulative. Text Neck has been linked to headaches, neurological issues, depression, and heart disease. These symptoms can creep up on you slowly, but chances of a negative impact on your health increase each time you hunch over your phone.

Maybe most alarming is how often we’ve seen this behavior in kids and young adults whose spines are still developing.

What Are the Symptoms of Text Neck?

Stretching your body’s tissue for extended periods of time causes it to become sore and inflamed. Repeated stress on the vertebrae can also lead to herniated disks, pinched nerves, and eventually improper curvature of the spine.

Text neck most commonly causes neck pain and soreness. In addition, looking down at your cell phone too much each day can lead to:

• Upper back pain ranging from a chronic, nagging pain to sharp, severe upper back muscle spasms.
• Shoulder pain and tightness, possibly resulting in painful shoulder muscle spasm.
• If a cervical nerve becomes pinched, pain and possibly neurological symptoms can radiate down your arm and into your hand (known as cervical radiculopathy).
• Text neck may also possibly lead to chronic problems due to early onset of arthritis in the neck.

What Can I Do?

Luckily there are some steps you can take every day to minimize the impact that your mobile devices have on your spine health. Here are some suggestions­­­­­­:

Stretch!

When you get a couple of minutes during your day, stop to stretch your neck and reset your brain. Tilt your head from left to right a few times. Look over your left shoulder, and then slowly turn your head to look over your right shoulder. Roll your shoulders and neck. Anything you can do to get those stiff muscles moving will pay off.

Hold your phone higher

Holding your device higher and bending your neck less can dramatically reduce the strain on your cervical spine. Holding your device in this way can also improve your situational awareness.

Set it Down

So while this is maybe easier said than done, it’s nonetheless important to put the phone down every once in a while. Maybe a text message gets missed, but the benefit to your health and wellness will be worth it in the long run.

Sciatica: All You Ever Wanted to Know & More

What is sciatica?
Sciatica (also known lumbar radiculopathy) is a type of pain affecting one or more sciatic nerve roots, which extend from your lower back (lumbar spine) down into the back of each leg. 

What causes sciatica?

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve(s) or its origins along the lumbar spine are pressured, irritated or damaged causing pain, weakness, numbness and/or tingling in the lower back and extremities. Sciatica is typically a result of other medical conditions such as a herniated disc, (Figure 1) disc degeneration or spinal stenosis.  There are also certain risk factors that may increase one’s risk of experiencing sciatica.

Figure 1: Comparison of a healthy vertebral and ruptured vertebral discs

What are the symptoms of sciatica? 

Common symptoms of sciatica:

• Lower Back pain, which may be a mild ache, or a debilitating-sharp, burning sensation
• Weakness, pain, numbness and/or tingling in the lower extremities
• Discomfort when sneezing, coughing or laughing
• Pain that may worsen at night, interrupting your sleep
• Heel walk, which is the decreased ability to bring your foot upward
• Drop foot (difficulty when flexing your ankle and bring up the front of your foot)
• Restricted ability to walk on your tiptoes, walk, drive and/or lift your heel off the ground

Figure 2: Mapped symptoms of sciatica by vertebrae number and extremity locations.

If you are experiencing any combination of these symptoms, you may have sciatica.

Watch this online video about sciatica.

How is sciatica diagnosed?
Procedures used to diagnose sciatica may include:

• A straight-leg raise test to induce pain radiating from the hip and down the leg.
• A foot-flex or Braggard’s Test to identify sciatic nerve symptoms
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to get detailed images of spinal discs. MRIs use a giant magnet that circles the body.
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan with myelogram is an X-ray used with a special dye injected into the spinal fluid. The CT scan is used to help identify the “bony” causes of spinal stenosis, while the dye helps diagnose soft tissue conditions such as disc herniation or a bulge.
• Selective nerve root block (SNRB) is when a local anesthetic is injected into a nerve root suspected of being affected by spinal stenosis. If the patient’s pain goes away after the injection, it can be determined that the compressed nerve is the cause of pain.

How is sciatica treated?
Typically, a combination of treatments works best to treat spinal stenosis. Treatment options may include:

•        Education—teaching patients spinal anatomy and basic body mechanics to help them manage their condition
•        Exercise
•        Activity modification
•        Medication
•        Physical therapy
•        Injections
•        Surgery

Does sciatica require surgery?
In some cases, surgery is required. SpineOne is dedicated to minimally invasive options whenever possible and will do everything we can to avoid surgery.

When can I expect to resume normal activities without sciatica?

Many people with sciatica are able to resume their normal activities after treatment. The goal of treatment for most patients is to have a healthy, active lifestyle free of sciatic pain. You’ll want to speak with a physician who specializes in spinal care to plan your particular treatment and get back in the swing of things.

Where can I get treatment for sciatica?
If you suffer from chronic or acute back pain and cannot find relief, you should always contact a spine specialist like the physicians at SpineOne.  SpineOne offers a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to meet the needs of each individual patient. The physicians at SpineOne perform minimally invasive procedures combined with other practices to get you back on your feet and enjoying your life again.

SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience. Same-day appointments are also available upon request.

Visit www.SpineOne.com or call 303.500.8611 today.

What You Should Know About Back Pain from ZocDoc.

Back pain 101 – 
An infographic by the team at ZocDoc

We thought we would share this infograph that illustrates information you should know about back pain from the ZocDoc Blog.
  
If you suffer from chronic or acute back pain and cannot find relief, it may be time to contact a spine specialist like the physicians at SpineOne.  SpineOne offers a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to meet the needs of each individual patient. 

The physicians at SpineOne practice minimally invasive procedures combined with other practices to get you back on your feet and enjoying your life again. SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience. Same-day appointments are also available upon request.

Visit www.SpineOne.com or call 303.500.8611 today.

How to Tell if You Have Sciatica

Sciatic pain (sciatica), symptomatic of other medical conditions, is when the sciatic nerve or one of its origins along the lumbar (lower) spine is irritated, pressured or damaged causing pain, weakness, numbness and/or tingling in the lower back and extremities.

While a spine specialist can officially diagnose whether you are showing symptoms of sciatica, you can also educate yourself about key sciatic pain indicators. To assist you, SpineOne has provided an online infographic that illustrates some of the sciatic pain symptoms and their locations. Simply click on the image to enlarge, save and/or print it.

If you or someone you know suffers from chronic sciatica and is unable to find a solution, it may be time to schedule an appointment with a spine specialist like the ones at SpineOne. The physicians at SpineOne provide each patient with a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and personalized treatment plan designed to meet their individual health needs. SpineOne offers both minimally invasive services for mild to moderate back pain and more advanced options for discomfort that is either severe or unresponsive to conservative techniques.

Call us at 303.500.8611 or visit www.spineone.com to learn more about our services.  For your convenience, SpineOne offers same-day appointments with consultation, imaging and treatment all within one facility.

Thank You SpineOne!

Hashim Khan, M.D. at SpineOne

Read what first-time SpineOne patient, Stephanie, had to say about her experience and treatment by Dr. Hashim Khan.

I was very impressed with your facility. The staff was very friendly, compassionate and professional. I felt very comfortable and well taken care of. Dr. Khan was very attentive and I appreciated the time he spent with me.    

THANK YOU SPINEONE!  --Stephanie

Are You at Risk for Sciatic Pain?

What is sciatica?

Sciatica refers to a type of pain affecting the sciatic nerve which extends from your lower back down into the back of each leg. Sciatic pain occurs when the sciatic nerve or its origins along the lumbar spine are pressured, irritated or damaged causing pain, weakness, numbness and/or tingling in the lower back and extremities. Sciatica is symptomatic of other medical conditions such as a herniated disc, disc degeneration or spinal stenosis. 

While a spine specialist can determine whether you are showing symptoms of sciatica, it is important to educate yourself on the risk factors for sciatic pain. To assist you, SpineOne has provided an online infographic that explains some of the key contributors to sciatic pain. Simply click on the image to enlarge, save and/or print it.

If you or someone you know is experiencing chronic neck or back pain and is unable to find a solution, it may be time to schedule an appointment with a spine specialist like the ones at SpineOne.

The physicians at SpineOne provide each patient with a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan. SpineOne physicians subscribe a personalized treatment plan to ensure that patients receive the highest level of medical and rehabilitation services specifically tailored to meet each person's individual health needs.

Call us at 303.500.8611 or visit www.spineone.com to learn more about our services.  For your convenience, SpineOne offers same-day appointments with consultation, imaging and treatment all within one facility.

10 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Back Pain from STYLECRAZE.

The Relationship Between Stress and Back Pain

Stress isn’t something you simply feel emotionally. Stress has definitive physical manifestations as well. Back pain and neck pain, in particular, are both associated with stress. Why does stress lead to an aching back and stiff neck? Doctors aren’t sure about the precise reasons why stress causes physical symptoms, but there some clues to help explain the relationship. Consider these links between stress and back pain:

Muscle Tension 
When you’re stressed, you have a tendency to tense your muscles. You may not even realize that you’re doing it, but chances are that if you’re coping with stress, you’re squeezing your muscles. Your back muscles and neck muscles tend to take the brunt of most of this tension. When you tighten your muscles and hold them that way for an extended period, carbon dioxide, lactic acid and other muscle waste chemicals build up, causing inflammation and pain. The tension also increases your nerve activity, which makes your back muscles more sensitive.

Brain Reaction 
Your brain also plays a significant role in neck and back pain you feel when you’re stressed. Under normal conditions, your brain’s pain receptors release chemicals to control pain sensations. When you’re feeling stressed, your brain can increase certain neuro-chemicals that can activate pain-processing pathways that make pain perception more intense.

Treatment Options 
Stress-coping mechanisms and reducing stress in your life can help you cope with stress-induced back pain. However, these techniques may not be enough to alleviate your pain. A spine specialist, such as a physician who specializes in back and neck pain, can offer treatments to help you manage or eliminate your pain.

At SpineOne, our back specialists can help you overcome stress-related back and neck pain, as well as a number of other spinal issues. We offer minimally invasive treatments with quick recovery times and fast results. Call us today at 303.800.5611 or visit www.spineone.com and let us help you get past your back pain.

I ♥ Dr. Sonstein and SpineOne!

Read what first-time patient, Shauna, had to say about her experience at SpineOne.

“I love Dr. Sonstein . It was clear from the beginning that his main objective was to make me feel better. He was really concerned about me.

Your surgical staff is amazing. All your nurses are attentive and nice. The nurse who helped me the anesthesia rocks big time and your center is great!

Candy in billing is totally amazing. She explains things simply and clearly and is quite good at calming you down and walking your through the process.

I am glad I ended up with SpineOne.”  -- Shauna