TEXT NECK SYNDROME MORE COMMON AMONG ADOLESCENTS, SAY DOCTORS
There is a fine line of discipline and balancing out and being strict on cutting down on texting and use of smartphones, said experts in the UAE, Let’s admit it we all like texting under any pretext — work or leisure. It does not matter how long, where and when, as long as it helps us stay connected. We are ready to pay any price and are seldom concerned about the damage it does to our health.
Dr Sadashiva Somayaji, specialist orthopaedic surgeon, NMC Specialty Hospital, Abu Dhabi, said: “Excess texting takes you away from important things. Most people lose track of time when they are on their smartphones considering how many things we can do on these devices — from checking news, watching sports, being on social media sites, checking email and texts. The negative impact is that it leaves you with less time for important things such as sleep, leisure time, work, and family time. Texting is an addiction and smartphones are powerful tools and can be addictive.”
Dr Anandi Damodaran, neurologist, Zulekha Hospital Sharjah, said: “Impact of excess texting is mostly related to our posture. ‘Text Neck’ is a modern term used to describe neck pain and damage from looking down at your phone or other devices for a long time and also frequently.”
“This can lead to permanent damage to cervical spine especially in children in whom the skeleton is still developing there is also premature degeneration of spine in those persons. Texting also changes brain rhythm. This utilises a major portion of brain activity, attention, concentration and motor skills. This can be dangerous when you are texting and driving,” she said.
“We are getting cases of ‘Text Neck’ in the UAE and mainly among adolescents,” she added.
Dr Niya Jamaludheen, general physician at Aster Clinic, International City, said: “More than being tech-savvy, we have now become tech addicts. Everybody from a working adult to a school going child now has a smartphone and uses it constantly for various purposes.
“Most people communicate only through texts. From the time one wakes up until we get to bed, the one thing we have on us constantly and use without a break is our smartphone,” she added.
Calling people over phone used to be the way of communication, although now, communication and keeping in touch is done through texts. Teenagers/children, in particular, are always engaged in their phones, texting their peers, irrespective of the time of the day, said Dr Jamaludheen.
“Students between the ages of 1421 prefer to text than making a conversation. Addiction to these gadgets is only a small side effect, while there are more other severe consequences of texting continuously.
“Texting has various psychologi-
We have been seeing an increasing number of patients coming in with neck pain and muscle spasm, especially .”
Dr Syed Haider Zaidi, medical director, Al Tadawi Medical Centre.
‘Text Neck’ is a term used to describe neck pain and damage from looking down at phone or other devices for a long time.”
Dr Anandi Damodaran, neurologist, Zulekha Hospital Sharjah
Everybody from a working adult to a school going child now has a smartphone and uses it constantly for various purposes.”
Dr Niya Jamaludheen, general physician, Aster Clinic, International City
Most people lose track of time when they are on smartphones considering how many things we can do on these devices.”
Dr Sadashiva Somayaji, specialist orthopaedic surgeon, NMC
cal, neurological and physical health consequences, it does a lot more to your body than you realise because the ill effects do not present any depictive symptoms. Texting has its positives and negatives. As much as it helps keep people connected, it is often associated with feelings like anxiety, depression and the fear of being overexposed.”
The UAE has an almost 99 per cent internet penetration of smart- phones, according to research from a university based in the Middle East. Almost 97 per cent use mobile data and 57 per cent use Wi-Fi.
“We have been seeing an increasing number of patients coming in with neck pain and muscle spasm. This is more during morning times when the patient has been texting at night with an abnormal posture putting a strain on the neck,” said Dr Syed Haider Imam Zaidi, general practitioner and medical director, Al Tadawi Medical Centre.
Dr Jamaludheen said: “Irrespective of the country, this has now become a common practice. In the UAE, too many people suffer from physical discomfort issues, the reasons for which could vary. Nobody consults a doctor complaining of health problems caused due to ‘excessive texting’.”
“People often come in with back and neck pains, migraines etc. Evaluation of their specific cases and understanding various causes of the conditions, lead us to understand that the condition could be caused as a result of the unhealthy practice of texting constantly.”
During long hours of chatting, the posture of an individual might remain static for hours, leading to constant stress on the neck and up-
per shoulders. Beginning as a vague pain, it could soon progress into debilitating conditions of the cervical spine something now known as text neck, explained Dr Zaidi.
“Higher rates of texting is found in young population between early 1635 years of age on an average. This, however, is not a strict cut off as more age groups are moving to chat apps for constant communication.”