Health Dangers fr/Smartphone Use

‘My smartphone damaged my health for LIFE’: Man develops painful and incurable neurological condition from craning his neck to look at the screen

  • Adam Estes developed searing headaches which felt like he was being ‘hit over the head with a rod of steel’ sending ‘bolts of pain’ over his skull
  • Was diagnosed with incurable neurological condition occipital neuralgia
  • This is where the nerves at the top of the neck become compressed 
  • Neurologist said it had been caused by him bending to look at his phone

When journalist Adam Estes started getting searing headaches, he feared the worst.

His cousin had previously experienced pain in his temple, found to be caused by a brain tumour, so Mr Estes was paranoid about pain in that area.

And the headaches he was experiencing were intense.

‘It was as if I was being hit over the head with a hot rod of steel’ which was ‘sending electric bolts of pain’ over his skull, he wrote in an article for Gizmodo.

Journalist Adam Estes developed  searing headaches due to compressed nerves in his neck after bending his neck to look at his smartphone. His neurologist warned him not to crane his neck when using his phone (file photo)

Journalist Adam Estes developed searing headaches due to compressed nerves in his neck after bending his neck to look at his smartphone. His neurologist warned him not to crane his neck when using his phone (file photo)

After visiting a neurologist, Mr Estes discovered they had been triggered by an unlikely cause; his smartphone.

He describes how his neurologist diagnosed him with occipital neuralgia, and how he had developed the condition from craning his neck to look at his phone.

Occipital neuralgia is a neurological condition in which the occipital nerves the nerves that run from the top of the spinal cord at the base of the neck up through the scalp – become compressed or inflamed.

This leads to similar symptoms to a headache or migraine.

To ascertain the cause of the condition, his neurologist asked about any activities he carried out that could strain the muscles of his neck, Gizmodo reports.

But as he tried not to slouch and works on a desktop with a propped up display, initially, he could not think of a situation in which he would be craning his neck.

Then, Mr Estes had a thought.

‘What about smartphone usage?’ he asked. ‘I’m constantly craning my neck to look down at my phone. Maybe that has something to do with it.’

WHAT IS OCCIPITAL NEURALGIA?

The occipital nerves are on each side of the head.

They emerge from between bones of the spine in the upper neck and make their way through muscles at the back of the head and into the scalp.

Irritation of one these nerves anywhere along their course can cause a shooting, zapping, electric, or tingling pain, with symptoms located on one side of the scalp rather than in the face.

Sometimes the pain can also seem to shoot forward (‘radiate’) toward one eye.

In some patients the scalp becomes extremely sensitive to even the lightest touch, making washing the hair or lying on a pillow nearly impossible.

In other patients there may be numbness in the affected area.

The region where the nerves enter the scalp may be extremely tender.

Occipital neuralgia may occur spontaneously, or as the result of a pinched nerve root in the neck (from arthritis, for example), or as the result of prior injury or surgery to the scalp or skull.

Sometimes ‘tight’ muscles at the back of the head can entrap the nerves.

Source: John Hopkins Medicine

This sounded like the most probable cause, his neurologist replied.

‘I’ve been a practicing neurologist for 10 years, and I’ve seen cases of this condition skyrocket since smartphones became popular, the neurologist said, according to Gizmodo.

And upon further thinking, Mr Estes revealed that he often reads on his phone, plays games, and answers emails on the go.

In fact, a recent paper found that bending the head at a 60 degree angle to look at a phone screen puts 60 lbs – or 27kg – worth of pressure on the cervical spine, the part of the spine above the shoulders, the study found.

At more than four stone in weight, that is heavier than the average seven year old.

The extra pressure put on the neck leads to early wear and tear and the person may eventually need surgery, experts writing in the study, published in Surgery Technology International, said.

The amount of force on the neck increases with the degree it is bent, they found.

Tilting the head by 45 degree adds the force of 49lbs – or 22kg – to the neck.

A 30 degree neck tilt equals 40lbs – or 18kg – , while a mere 15 degrees puts an extra 27lbs – 12kg – on the spine.

Mr Estes and his neurologist decided the smartphone must be the cause of his condition.

And while he was relieved to have a conclusive diagnosis, he was dismayed to find there is no cure for occipital neuralagia, only treatments that can manage the pain.

His neurologist also injected his neck with around 20 individual steroids and numbing agents, which he says were so painful he almost passed out.

These block the nerves in the neck to stop the headaches, but it is not uncommon for the pain to return at some point and to need a repeat series of injections.

He was also given information about yoga and massage that can help relieve tension in the neck.

And lastly, Mr Estes was warned to avoid craning his neck to look at his smartphone.

Slumping over a phone adds extra pressure on the cervical spine- the part above the shoulders - a study found. Bending the head to a 60 degree angle adds 60 lbs - or more than four stone- worth of pressure

Slumping over a phone adds extra pressure on the cervical spine- the part above the shoulders – a study found. Bending the head to a 60 degree angle adds 60 lbs – or more than four stone- worth of pressure