Tech neck can strain the back, shoulders, as well as neck and even lead to headaches, according to mbglifestyle. Now, more people are noticing jawline swelling and inflamation, which can have an effect on the lymphatic drainage system that circulates lymph fluids.
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Tech neck comes from the hunched forward, curved posture that happens when staring down at technology.
Hayley Wood, founder of Therapeutic Skin Coach and holistic esthetician said, "Tech neck can eventually make it hard for that natural flow to occur. If you have a roadblock in your fluids moving, it's like a traffic jam, and the buildup of fluids eventually has to go somewhere. So naturally, the pooling of excess fluids will start to collect in certain areas of that highway system. This explains why a lot of people with tech neck (or just neck tension) tend to experience pooling under the chin."
Wood gives her advice on how to help the swollen jawline.
- Rule out anything serious
"First and foremost, we have to evaluate your overall health. If you have a thyroid condition or low blood pressure, we need to be careful in how we monitor the lymph pooling in certain areas," said Wood.
- Realign posture
"For most other cases, proper alignment is really key to helping the lymph get back on track," said Wood. This includes learning to sit at your desk with a level head and feet flat on the floor.
- Keep track of your progress throughout the day
"...Check in with what may be feeling out of alignment or where you are holding tension when you wake up. Then do some light stretching before you get into your day," said Wood.
"Techniques like gentle self-massage, gua sha, and even facial rolling can promote that," said Wood. Lymphatic drainage techniques have medical value and can help with the effect of tech neck.
