At some point we’ve all noticed somebody slumped over, head poking forward, prominent upper back and wondered, “I wonder why that happens?” Rounded shoulders, forward head posture, and a prominent upper middle back — commonly referred to as a Dowager Hump — are signs of an underlying structural problem within the cervical spine, a.k.a. your neck. Specifically, it is a sign of a reduced or reversed cervical curve.

The cervical curve begins directly below your skull and is comprised of the first seven vertebrae of the spine. When healthy, this cervical curve resembles a banana in shape (or a wide, backward “C”) and acts as a spring designed to easily support the weight of our head, which weighs between 9 to 12 pounds. The cervical curve is first formed in infancy. Imagine an infant crawling around and holding his head up to examine the world. Maintaining this natural position during development is the innate method for developing the proper curve in our neck. When we begin to walk, the elasticity of our tissues helps maintain the spine in this ideal form, while still allowing for ideal ranges of motion.

Most blame the development of a Dowager Hump on osteoporosis or claim that it is hereditary. In fact, it is neither. Most people acquire the loss of cervical curve slowly, over time, due to a chronically abnormal head position. When the chin drops towards the chest, or begins to jut forward, the natural curve in the neck is reduced from a highly-supportive “spring design” to a straightened, “ramrod” configuration. For every inch forward the head shifts, the weight increases by 10 pounds! This increases pressure on the discs and spinal nerves, while also placing the muscles located on top of and between the shoulder blades under an increased load.

With enough repetition, this posture becomes the body’s normal structure. Though we keep abusing our spine, our brain is smart enough to recognize this repetitive stress and begins to add structural support in the form bigger muscles and increased bone. Bone acts as our body’s version of cement, and these bony growths are referred to as arthritis, osteophytes, or “bone spurs.”

Oftentimes the main complaints associated with a reduced cervical curve are difficulty sleeping and headaches. Headaches are triggered because headaches act as our body’s “fire alarm” to let us know something is wrong. The difficulty sleeping is a result from pathological tension on the brain stem and spinal cord. This tension chronically bombards your brain’s sympathetic nervous system — the area responsible for our “flight or fight” response. When constantly triggered, our brain is perpetually placed on high alert, which leads to anxiety and difficulty sleeping.

Research shows that deviations from the normal spinal curvatures can take up to 14 years off your life. Loss of cervical curve can also result in loss of balance, dizziness, disturbance in gait, overall poor health, headaches, neck and jaw pain, numbness, weakness – even heart and lung complications. Changes in the cervical curve also dramatically reduce endorphin production. Without adequate endorphin production, many otherwise non-painful sensations are experienced as pain – think of Fibromyalgia.

Wondering what you can do to prevent the development of a Dowager Hump? First, assess your daily behavior for activities where you spend the majority of time with your head slumped forward, such as texting, using an iPad, driving, reading, watching TV, and eating. Once you recognize the problem areas, work to implement proper posture. Proper posture will feel awkward at first if you’ve been using your head to look down instead of your eyes; it should make you think of balancing a bowling ball on top of a banana. Since the cervical curve is designed to act as a spring-like support, naturally extending the head backward to rest over the body will greatly reduce the loads on your musculoskeletal system and lead to less tension and fatigue.

If there is already development of Dowager Hump, there are things that can be done to prevent the condition from worsening. Varying levels of reversal are also possible, depending on the severity. Keep in mind, it is important to consult a trained professional before beginning any rehabilitation process. There are devices available that simultaneously lessen pain and symptoms, while remolding the proper shape and promoting positive changes to the cervical curve. Rehabilitating the cervical curve involves changes to the ligaments, a notoriously slow process. Correcting cervical curve issues can take between two to 10 months. Chiropractic care speeds the recovery process and often alleviates many of the secondary symptoms within two to four weeks. Ultimately, however, prevention is key. By focusing on postural changes that you can incorporate into you daily life now, you can enhance your quality of life and future longevity.

If you have questions about the treatments discussed, or would like to know more, please feel free to email me at pathwaysth@gmail.com and put “Curve” in the subject line.