Modern device causing physical pain?
Is this modern society failing your health? What is text neck? How to have your devices compliment your health instead of causing more problems. Work ergonomics and pain.
A new side effect of the ubiquitous smart phone called “text neck” is the result of constantly looking down onto the screen at an uncomfortable angle. Because summer travel may present long waits at airports and riding long distances while texting and gaming, the potential for developing problems associated with the poor positioning of the head and neck increases. Handheld devices are particularly problematic because of their small size and the fact that they are often held while hands are resting on the lap. This means the screen is positioned at an angle requiring the viewer’s head to be tipped downward in order to see the small screen.
If we were to look under the skin and see this problem as an architect would see weight distribution of a bridge or building, we would note that the head, which usually weighs eight- to-14 pounds, is cradled, supported and attached to the rest of the body by a two-ounce atlas bone, or cervical bone 1 (C1). This bone not only supports the head, but also surrounds the brain stem, so any disruption of the head and neck relation- ship can also disrupt neural flow to any part of the body. Some of the life events that often act upon this little bone include forces experienced during a car accident, falling down, sleeping on an ill-fitting pillow and even the birthing process itself.
To understand the importance of the C1 and its affect on our daily life; imagine holding onto a big platter, as a waiter or waitress would. If we balance the plate around its center of gravity, we can hold onto it for a long time. But if we try to balance it off that center of gravity, it is a struggle to keep it from falling and the weight will also seem magnified. In order to keep the plate in that position, our finger muscles would have to tighten as they struggle to hold up the weight, as would the muscles of the wrist, forearm, elbow, shoulder, back and even the legs as they compensate for the shift in weight distribution.
If the body is forced to experience this misalignment daily, that causes muscles to become accustomed to being in this position— the new normal. Unless we experience the body’s alarm system (pain), we may not even notice that it is occurring. If there’s pain, the body is giving us a warning that something is wrong, and you have the opportunity to correct it before further damage occurs.
Many people silence or turn the volume down on the pain alarm with medications, and eventually, the alarm signal is managed or just shuts off. The problem is that while one can no longer hear the alarm, the reason has not been corrected, causing slow, internal and external deterioration, including degradation of posture, gait and nerve impulse conduction. All these problems can have unexpected, long- term negative health consequences, in addition to exacerbat- ing and creating other health issues.
To minimize stress, start by being aware of poor positioning and take action to correct it. When reading, working on a computer or using a cellular or handheld device, consider improving the body’s alignment by elevating the screen; working at a table or placing a purse, bag or jacket on our lap and resting the screen there. Always maintain at least a fist-size space between the chin and the chest. Looking any further down will put a strain onto the neck and the muscles all the way down to the low back. Also consider having at least a biannual check-up of the C1 by a dedicated upper cervical chiropractor.
“Text Neck”
The Jaw – Spinal Cord Connection A Simple Check-up Can Make All the Difference in One’s Overall Health
Are you a pain victim of your dental appliance? Why checking the upper neck alignment is key before dental work.
The TMJ can lead to many painful issues. Often times, its caused by misalignment of the C1/Atlas.
More often when we think of mouth guard, its a common need for athletes. Its also used as a daily/nightly dental protection device. Are both needed? The simple answer is yes and yes, but it is important to understand its function. A mouth guard is a covering that is placed on the upper or lower teeth to protect the teeth from injury.
There are two parts to the jaw: the maxilla, which is the upper part of the skull, or the non-moveable part with teeth, and the mandible, or the moveable part with teeth. The connecting location is the TMJ. What holds these two parts together are the muscles and ligaments, which are all controlled by facial nerves that come from the brainstem and are connected to the first vertebrae (also called the atlas).
A more thorough dental version of a mouth guard, known as an appliance, will also protect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), from injury during periods of grinding and or clenching.
Over-the-counter mouth guards are manufactured predominantly in two premade forms that protect the teeth, but a custom appliance made at a dental office also maintains the balance between the upper and lower jaw so that dysfunction or destruction do not occur. Its focus is to maintain a proper fluid motion of the TMJ to avoid injury or pain. Symptoms of imbalance include tooth pain, facial pain, headaches and neck pain. Using the latest technology, dentists have tools to identify many problems in the TMJ to make better diagnoses and appliances that prevent further damage to teeth and the TMJ joint.
The use of a dental appliance is important for the treatment of several jaw-related problems and appliances are also being used to address sleep apnea and snoring with great success. However, another aspect of a patient’s well-being is how the fit of that appliance affects the neurological flow of the entire body.
If the atlas is in alignment and the brainstem is firing its signals correctly, allowing the nerves to function as they should, an improperly set appliance will put pressure onto the nerves and actually be capable of taking the patient out of alignment at the atlas, causing the nerves to not fire correctly, and giving way to symptoms such as headaches, vertigo, TMJ issues and even low back pain.
A simple check can determine if the dental appliance is affecting the spinal alignment and nerve flow. If the nerves are not firing correctly, that is considered a misalignment. If it is determined that the mouth guard is causing a misalignment, having that appliance refit by a dentist that understands the jaw/ spinal cord connection and can work with your spinal health practitioner is key.
While mouth guards and dental appliances are valuable protective tools for a patient to continuously feel well, the combination of having a properly set dental appliance and staying in alignment is key.