Beyond Neck Pain: How Your Smartphone Is Affecting Your Heart, Eyes, and Nervous System
If you're reading this, it’s likely that are you've already experienced some discomfort from your smartphone—maybe tension in your neck, headaches, or that nagging upper back pain. As your local chiropractor in McHenry, OrthoIllinois Chiropractic sees an epidemic of tech-related issues, and the latest research reveals the issue runs deeper than you may imagine. It's not always "just' neck pain. Our gentle spinal manipulation treatment can help!
YOUR SPINE AFFECTS YOUR HEART
What surprises most of our chiropractic patients: forward head posture impacts much more than just your neck. New studies show it's directly impacting your autonomic nervous system—the part controlling your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress response. (1) When your head shifts forward into "text neck" position, it creates compression in your upper cervical spine, hampering proper nerve signaling and activating your sympathetic nervous system. Your body remains in fight-or-flight mode, raising heart rate and blood pressure—all from looking down at your phone. Crazy to think about, but you are not alone!
THE SPINE-EYE CONNECTION YOU NEED TO KNOW
Researchers are now documenting "cervical oculopathy"—where neck misalignments trigger vision problems ranging from blurry vision, eye pain, dry eyes, to even contributing conditions like glaucoma. (2) When your cervical spine is misaligned, it can interfere with the blood supply and nerve pathways reaching your eyes. Studies found that patients with chronic, unexplained visual symptoms often show significant cervical spine issues and compressed jugular veins, impairing drainage from the brain and eyes.
WHY DIFFICULT TASKS MAKE EVERYTHING WORSE
Studies tracking neck angles revealed that difficult phone tasks cause you to hunch over even more. (3) Typing forces your neck forward more than 30 degrees, compared to about 26 degrees when watching videos. People who utilize phones more heavily develop even more intense flexion angles—a downward spiral impacting spinal alignment with every text.
THE REAL RISK FACTORS MIGHT SURPRISE YOU
Surprisingly, a year-long study revealed that how much you bend your neck while using your phone wasn't the chief cause of neck pain. (4) Instead, poor sleep quality and lack of physical activity were the real culprits triggering neck pain. The lifestyle factors that come with heavy phone use—disrupted sleep and sedentary behavior—may cause even more musculoskeletal damage.
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic FOR YOUR CHIROPRACTIC ACTION PLAN
This research reinforces our healthcare approach at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic. Regular chiropractic adjustments maintain proper cervical alignment and nervous system function, but you also need quality sleep and physical activity. When using your phone, bring it closer to eye level, particularly when typing, and take breaks often.
Your nervous system controls everything. When smartphone habits impede your spinal health, the effects ripple outward. Maintaining proper spinal alignment via regular chiropractic care may well safeguard your heart, eyes, sleep, and overall nervous system function for the long term.
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he talks about the interaction of the nervous system and vagus nerve and the role The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management may have for chiropractic patients seeking pain relief.
Schedule your McHenry chiropractic appointment soon.
