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Conditions · Cadillac, MI

Neck pain: from “military neck” to “tech neck”

When Dr. Brown was in chiropractic school, they called it “military neck” — and mind you, that was before iPhones. Now you'll hear the same thing called “tech neck.” The name changed; the mechanics didn't.

The banana curve

A healthy neck isn't straight. The cervical spine has a natural backwards curve — like a banana. But we spend so much time in a head-forward position — think looking down at your phone — that this natural backwards curve begins to straighten.

Your head is a bowling ball

Now factor in the biomechanics: your head weighs roughly as much as a bowling ball. Of course a head-forward position and a flattening curve put extra tension on the muscles whose whole job is holding that neck up. It isn't mysterious — it's a lever problem, and your neck muscles are on the losing end of it all day.

Your body remodels — for better or worse

Over time, the body remodels around whatever position you keep it in. The extreme example is one you've seen: the older man or woman with the pronounced hump at the base of the neck, looking at the floor as they walk. Their body did exactly what bodies do — it adapted to the stress it was under.

That's the key principle: your body naturally adapts to the stress it's under. That doesn't mean the adaptation is beneficial — it just means things change. Whether you're exercising in the gym and doing yoga, or staring at a screen for eight hours — change will happen. The only question is which direction it's headed.

Using that principle to your advantage

This is where chiropractic can be genuinely helpful: the same adaptability that let the problem build is the tool for addressing it. Care in this office pairs hands-on muscle work with specific adjustment — and in many cases that can stop, and to a degree undo, changes that carry negative consequences. Neck trouble is also a common driver of headaches, which is why the two evaluations often overlap.

Neck had enough?

Call or text (231) 468-3777 or request an appointment — new patients are usually seen within the week. Active Chiropractic of Cadillac serves Cadillac and the surrounding Wexford, Missaukee, and Osceola County communities.

Also see how Dr. Brown approaches sciatica, vertigo, shoulder pain, and headaches.