Fifteen year-old make presents to Carlsbad chiropractor with significant low back pain caused by golfing and occasional headaches. The xray confirms the Gonstead chiropractic analysis; he is subluxated. The lateral xray shows a reversed cervical curve. Today this has been referred to as “text neck” due to an entire society staring at hand held devices. Author’s note: When I first started looking at xrays in 2004, it was common for me to see a straight neck. It was very rare to see a reversed cervical curve. Today it is very common to see this; maybe 50% of patients. This is a seriously bad trend
These pictures are taken 12 visits apart over 9 weeks. All complaints are resolved. Lateral view shows significant improvement in weight bearing (L5 plumb line in line with C7 and C2). Significant change in overall lumbar and cervical lordosis , and thoracic kyphosis. Cervical curve, completely reversed in first image is now much more towards ideal. NOTE: 1) Palatine plate is level to the ground on both pictures. If this were not so some of correction could be attributed to positioning. 2) Only specific adjusting was used to correct the subluxation and let the body adapt by changing curvatures. No traction, stretching, nor exercises were performed or prescribed. He did not stop golfing during care. 3) Chiropractic care did not cure back pain nor headaches. Only the healing potential of the body. Once the body was corrected for subluxation, symptoms subsided and the body realigned itself into a more ideal state.
Close up of changes, pre- and post-xray.
Text neck is only caused by subluxation and in the body’s best attempt to compensate for it, the cervical curve straightens and becomes reversed. This creates an abnormal weight bearing on the bones and discs as range of motion is affected, and over time as the disc degenerates the body permanently stabilizes the condition with more bone (arthritis). This is a serious condition especially at such a young age. It’s conceivable that arthritis could develop in his early 20s. CBP research has concluded this.
The Washington Post has reported this condition to be correlated with headaches and neurological issues, depression and heart disease. Chiropractors have known this for years and is finally getting mainstream medical attention.
Since subluxation is a chiropractic issue, only a chiropractor can correct subluxation. Text neck exercises and text neck stretching will have no effect on the subluxation.