What Is Tech Neck? An Unexpected Digital-Age Pain

Do you ever find yourself rubbing the back of your neck after a long day hunched over your laptop or scrolling through your phone? You’re not alone. As someone who battles advanced arthritis in my cervical spine and is currently dealing with a ruptured disc causing spinal cord compression that will soon require surgery, I can tell you firsthand: this is more than just a passing ache. This is a real, daily struggle. And whether you’re a busy blogger, entrepreneur, or just trying to keep up with the world through your computer or smartphone, chances are, you’ve experienced this too. That dull ache, that tight pinch at the base of your neck, that annoying tension between your shoulder blades—it’s not your imagination. It’s tech neck.

In this post, we’ll explore tech neck, why it’s more common than ever, and how to tell if it’s affecting you. This is Part 1 of our three-part series. Next up: Correct Posture and then Stretching for Relief. But before we fix it, let’s understand what we’re really dealing with.

First, What Is Tech Neck?

If you’re anything like me, you spend a lot of time looking down at your phone, typing on your laptop, or sitting in front of a desktop screen. And let’s be honest, most of us are not sitting in a perfect ergonomic position all day long. Over time, this takes a toll on our bodies, especially our necks.

Studies indicate that between 27% to 48% of workers experience neck problems annually, a statistic that has likely increased with the rise of remote work and prolonged device usage. – Goodpath.

Tech neck, or text neck syndrome, is the term for neck pain and strain that results from spending hours looking down at digital devices. The forward head posture we adopt while using these devices puts significant stress on the cervical spine.

Let me paint a picture. Your head weighs around 10-12 pounds. Now, when you tilt it forward at a 45-degree angle to look at a device, your neck muscles and cervical vertebrae are dealing with the pressure of nearly 50 pounds. Day after day, that adds up. And trust me, as someone living through it right now with a ruptured disc and spinal cord compression, the impact is more than physical, it’s mental and emotional too. It changes how you sleep, how you move, how you think about your body.

What many people don’t realize is that tech neck, when left unaddressed, can progress into serious medical conditions like cervical spinal spondylotic myelopathy—a condition I’m now facing.

“Cervical myelopathy is spinal cord compression in your cervical spine or neck. The most common type is cervical spondylotic myelopathy, which happens after natural changes to your body as you age. It can cause neck pain, muscle weakness and numbness, among other symptoms. Surgery treats cervical myelopathy.” – Cleveland Clinic.

It happens when the spinal cord becomes compressed due to long-term changes in the spine. Symptoms can include clumsiness in the hands, difficulty walking, balance problems, weakness in the arms or legs, and even bladder or bowel dysfunction. I have all of those symptoms except the bladder and bowel problems, as mine is in my neck, and not my back. The longer it goes untreated, the worse it becomes. In my case, I’ll be undergoing surgery to relieve the compression, something that involves removing damaged disc material and fusing parts of the cervical spine. It’s not a small step, but it’s necessary. And I want you to understand just how far tech neck can go if we don’t start taking it seriously now.

Common Symptoms of Tech Neck You Shouldn’t Ignore

We all have days where our neck feels a little stiff or our shoulders a bit sore. But tech neck doesn’t just show up for a day and leave. It’s sneaky. It builds over time and becomes part of your everyday life until it’s suddenly unbearable. That was me.

The pain often starts subtly—a sore spot at the base of the neck or tightness between your shoulder blades. Maybe even a tension headache that feels like a band tightening around your head. And then it snowballs. I started getting numbness down my arm. I couldn’t sleep well. My upper back felt like it was in a permanent state of tension.

Here are some common symptoms to watch for:

• Chronic neck pain or stiffness
• Shoulder pain and tension
• Headaches that begin in the neck
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Reduced range of motion
• A feeling of constant muscle fatigue in your upper body

If any of these sound familiar, you might be dealing with tech neck too. And I want you to know, you’re not alone.

The “Digital Age” and Its Impact on Our Bodies

Clearly, we live in a world where being “connected” is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. From Zoom calls and emails to social media scrolling and late-night Netflix binges, our devices are with us all day long. I work online, and maybe you do too, or maybe you spend a lot of time managing life through your phone. Either way, the screen time adds up.

And here’s the thing: we rarely think about our posture while we’re doing it. You hunch a little to read a text. Lean forward to edit a blog post. Tilt your chin to watch a video. These small adjustments become muscle memory, and they train your body into poor posture.

The longer we go without correcting these habits, the more likely we are to develop repetitive strain injuries like tech neck. Our cervical spine, designed to support the head in a neutral position, becomes overloaded.

It doesn’t matter if you’re 25 or 55. Tech neck is becoming a modern-day epidemic, especially for smartphone users and those of us glued to a computer screen or cell phone for hours.

The Anatomy Behind the Pain

I didn’t understand what was happening at first. Why was my neck hurting so much? Why was it getting worse even though I wasn’t doing anything that seemed harmful?

It turns out the pain wasn’t just about muscles. The way we position our heads when using digital devices stretches and weakens certain muscles of the neck, compresses facet joints, and puts pressure on our spinal nerves. Over time, this can cause degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, or even spinal cord compression (which I now have due to a ruptured disc).

When your head is forward for hours each day, your cervical vertebrae are no longer stacked in a natural curve. The pressure spreads to your shoulders, upper back, and even your lower back. It can lead to tight muscles, chronic stiffness, and even inflammation in the facet joints. In short, tech neck affects far more than your neck. It can impact your nervous system, leading to widespread discomfort and dysfunction.

Preventing and Managing Tech Neck

I wish I had understood what I was dealing with much sooner. But now that I know what I’m up against, I’m doing what I can to protect the mobility and comfort I have left. And I want to help you do the same.

Here are some real, simple changes you can make starting today:

1. Create a Neck-Friendly Workspace

• Raise your monitor or laptop to eye level
• Sit with your hips, shoulders, and ears in a vertical line
• Avoid slouching or leaning forward
• Use a supportive chair that encourages proper muscle alignment

2. Take Frequent Breaks

• Use the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds
• Set reminders to stand, stretch, or walk for 2-5 minutes
• Reduce prolonged screen time when possible

3. Stretch and Strengthen

• Try chin tucks to realign your posture
• Do gentle neck stretches for the front and back of the neck
• Focus on upper back and shoulder blade exercises to improve support
• Roll your shoulders often

4. Get Professional Help

Please, don’t wait until the pain is unbearable because the damage can be irreversible! Seek care from a physical therapist or chiropractor. They can help you build a custom plan with the following suggestions and more.

• Manual therapy and soft tissue work
• Targeted muscle strength routines
• Massage therapy for tension release
• Guidance on when to explore surgical treatment or injections, if needed

Massage therapy has become one of my greatest tools in managing the chronic pain I live with daily. With the right care, you can prevent things from progressing the way mine did.

I’m currently working with my team of specialists to prep for spinal surgery, but I also wish I had recognized the signals sooner.

Again, You’re Not Alone

If you’re struggling with neck pain, fatigue, or even just a nagging tension that won’t go away (like me), don’t brush it off. You deserve to feel strong and supported, especially if your work involves being online all day. Here is my quick suggestion to start before you see a doctor. Start with simple changes, be aware of your posture, and listen to what your body is telling you.

This is just Part 1 in our 3-part series. Next, we’ll go over correct posture (with real examples and product tips), followed by stretches and movement routines that can help restore mobility and reduce pain.

Let’s take care of our necks together, friend. Because what you do matters, and your comfort while doing it matters too.

Trusted Resources:

Want a bit more research? I do not blame you one bit. Here are some articles I found helpful.

• Mayo Clinic Health System: The Effect of Technology on Your Neck
• Spine-Health: Text Neck Treatment & Prevention
• Healthline: Text Neck Treatment Options
• UT Southwestern: Tech Neck Pain Treatments
• Northeast Spine & Sports: 11 Tips for Getting Rid of Tech Neck
• John Michels, MD: What is Tech Neck?

This blog is written from personal experience and research. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or specialist regarding any health concerns.