"Computer Stiff Neck"

"Computer stiff neck" is one of the most common types of stiff neck nowadays among teenagers and office workers (especially engineers) who spend prolonged time per day using computer or cell phone. It is typically characterized by soreness and difficulty moving the neck. Patients with "computer stiff neck" can not move head either up and down or left and right. It may also be accompanied by headache, neck pain, shoulder pain and/or arm pain.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, “computer stiff neck” is a classic case of stagnation, which means that part of the upper cervical spine is locked, causing the deficiency of blood in the brain. As the neck becomes tight and painful, the pain can move either upward causing headaches, tooth grinding, and jaw pain or move downward and cause back pain and tightness.

Common Causes of "Computer Stiff Neck"

• Slouching with poor posture while viewing the computer monitor or looking downward at a mobile phone for prolonged periods

• Holding the neck in an abnormal position for a long period, such as cradling a phone between the neck and shoulder

Acupuncture Treatment for Stiff Neck

The best way to treat “computer stiff neck” is acupuncture at special acupoints, which helps unlock the upper cervical spine, relieve the pain and tightness in your neck by increasing the circulation of blood and energy as well as relieve stress in the related area. With Dr. Lei's special acupuncture treatment skill, numerous patients with “computer stiff neck” receive 1-2 sessions of acupuncture treatment and recover completely. During each session, the patient receives treatment for 15-20 mins. After each session, the patient usually feels better significantly since he or she can lower his or her head and turn up to more than 45 degrees on each side, turn his or her head left or right to more than 60 degrees on each side. 

Feedback from one of our patients:

“I wouldn't hesitate at all to write my first review on Yelp to Dr. Lei! My family & I had come to Dr. Lei a few times before for various pains, headache, etc. We all found her acupuncture & herb treatments super effective and the details are worth several separate reviews. In this review, I'd like to talk about a recent miracle that has happened to me. Last Saturday, I started to experience slight pains in my neck and initially I thought it was due to a bad sleep posture which had happened to me before, so I took some rests and hoped it'd recover. However, by Sunday morning after I wake up, my neck became completely stiff and I could not move my head or turn sideways and whenever I slightly bent, I felt shockwave-like headache. It was very painful & I came to Dr. Lei's clinic right away to receive acupuncture treatment. With just a few needles in my neck for 15 minutes, Dr. Lei asked me to try move my head again and a miracle happened - I was able to lower my head & turn up to like 60 degrees on each side. The headache was completely gone even though I still felt sour when i turned. I received 1 more session the next day and the pains & stiffness in my neck was completely gone in just 2 days.

I'd highly recommend Dr. Lei for her professional excellence & personalized care for each patient!”

LL, Software Engineer, 23 years old, Sunnyvale, CA