People who are sedentary for a long time during the day and spend a lot of time in front of the computer have poor posture. This can lead to spinal disorders such as neck flattening. Neck flattening is a condition in which the neck loses its curvature. Neck flattening is commonly recognized as a symptom of neck pain. In some cases, neck pain is accompanied by shoulder and back pain. If the treatment of neck flattening is neglected, it will have negative effects on the person's life. Neck flattening can be prevented with lifestyle changes and various exercises.
What is Neck Flattening?
Neck flattening is a condition that occurs as a result of the straightening of the curved part of the neck. Of the 33 vertebrae that make up the spine, 7 are located in the neck region. When a healthy body is considered, it is observed that the vertebrae are arranged in a C-shaped slightly curved manner. For various reasons, the curve in the vertebrae may disappear and become straight. When the natural curve of the neck (cervical lordosis) loses its curvature for various reasons, neck flattening occurs. At this point, it is also common for the straightened vertebrae to curve in the opposite direction in advanced stages of the disease. Therefore, early diagnosis is very important for the treatment of the disease.
What are the Causes of Neck Flattening?
The most common cause of neck flattening is posture disorder. Posture disorder can occur due to many different reasons while people are sleeping or awake. Situations such as not doing enough physical activity in daily life and being at a desk for a long time cause posture disorder. Staying in the wrong position throughout the day due to work life stands out among the situations that lead to neck flattening.
Old age can also lead to neck flattening. In advanced ages, the discs between the vertebrae become damaged over time and begin to collapse. The damage that leads to loss of curve in the neck and balance problems is called degenerative disc disease.
Neck flattening can also be caused by trauma. Traumas are mostly caused by injuries in the neck area caused by sports injuries, blows and falls. These changes in the spine and conditions such as fractures and tears lead to neck flattening.
In some cases of neck flattening, it can be observed that the disease is congenital. The congenital disorder is often associated with cervical kyphosis.
Tumors and infections are also among the factors that cause neck flattening. Tumors in the vertebrae in the neck region can cause the curved structure to deteriorate.
This condition is also seen in people who remain immobile as a result of obesity.
What are the Symptoms of Neck Flattening?
Neck flattening is mainly manifested by muscle pain. When the spine takes abnormal shapes, muscle contraction or spasms occur. In people with cervical lordosis flattening, this pain can spread to the neck, shoulders and even the lumbar region. If you want to find out if you have symptoms of a neck flattening, you can lie down on a flat surface and check the space between the neck curve and the back.
Symptoms of neck flattening may differ from person to person. While the loss of the neck curve can lead to problems such as headaches and neck pain, not all people with cervical lordosis have the same symptoms. Some cases of cervical lordosis may have no symptoms at all. Some patients do not experience symptoms such as pain and recognize the disease by experiencing difficulties during physical activity.
Conditions that would not cause problems in a person with a healthy spine can cause long-term damage in people with this condition. The complaints that occur with neck flattening are as follows:
- Neck pain
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Stiffness and restriction of movements in the neck area
- Weakness in the neck muscles
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Nerve compression
- Arm pain
- Hand numbness
How is neck flattening diagnosed?
Early diagnosis of neck flattening is very important in preventing the increasing effects of the condition. In order to diagnose neck flattening, a physical examination is performed first. During the examination, the physician asks the person certain questions to learn the source of the disease. The techniques to be applied are shaped according to the symptoms and signs observed during the physical examination. If necessary, imaging techniques such as X-rays and computed tomography are used.
Modern devices such as posture analyzers can also be used for spinal analysis. A gait analyzer is used to determine whether changes in the spine are related to walking. Other diseases are also evaluated and blood tests may be requested if necessary.
How is neck flattening treated?
The person is diagnosed with the disease with the examinations performed and the treatment process of the disease is started. In this process, auxiliary materials such as neck collars and corsets can be used. However, long-term use is not recommended. Neck flattening can also be caused by mistakes made in daily life, such as incorrect computer and phone use. Therefore, the person is informed about the changes they need to make in their lifestyle.
In cases where the effects are seen only in the shoulder and neck area and do not spread to the spine, surgical treatment methods are not used first. Medication, the use of a cervical collar and physiotherapy may be sufficient for this stage to reduce pain. For patients who do not experience pain symptoms, doing some exercises and paying attention to sitting with the correct posture may be sufficient to improve the condition.
In cases where non-surgical treatment methods do not yield results, neck straightening surgery is also used. Surgical operation is the last resort for patients with increasingly severe back pain and symptoms of pressure on the spine.