Doctors say smartphone obsession can be a real pain in the neck and back
You might want to be extra careful when using your mobile device.
Doctors are warning smartphone obsession can be a real pain in the neck and back. They say the mobile device addiction is now to blame for a whole host of health problems.
One doctor decided to use the very device that's causing the problem to fix the problem. He developed the text neck indicator app available right now for android phones.
"It's a constant reminder. Although it's a quiet reminder," said Dr. Dean Fishman.
Dr. Fishman is the brains behind the "text neck" app. He's seen patients as young as 16 come into his office complaining of headaches and developing problems with their spine. He says usually the problem can be traced back to the phone.
"Now we're in this constant forward flex position, it is speeding up the degenerative process. Stand up, change the way you're viewing your devices otherwise you'll speed up the process and have the conditions that your parents and grandparents are complaining about," Dr. Fishman explains.
Once you download the text neck indicator, you'll see a little green icon in the top left part of your screen. It's in the shape of a head. What it does is it monitors the angle of your head and once you start going to low, it goes off. It alerts you that you're at risk for text neck."
You can also set the app to vibrate or just be mindful of the icon on the screen.
Allie Gardner says she struggles with tension headaches all the time.
"My chiropractor is always yelling at me to stay off my screens because being on your phone and computer all day is not good for your neck," Gardner said.
That's the message doctors want everyone to hear but for some it doesn't seem to be an immediate problem.
But the time to prevent it may be now.