Screen misuse blamed for painful 'tech neck' problems

For five years, Naoise Champion endured painful headaches and neck cramps, unaware the source of her discomfort was in her hand.

The 25-year-old, who works in corporate hospitality, is constantly surrounded by screens, both at work and in her personal life.

Women are the primary sufferers of neck pain across nearly all age groups, except those aged 51 to 60, research reveals.

Dubbed 'tech neck', the condition stems from the misuse of technology, with women being particularly vulnerable to its debilitating effects.

Ms Champion said her discomfort worsened over years of technology use, with pain radiating from her back into her head.

"There was a ripple on effect with work, my social life and the way I interacted with my family and friends, all because of the pain," she told AAP.

An Australian Chiropractors Association survey found 68 per cent of women experience neck pain, compared to 60 per cent of men.

Despite the high prevalence of neck pain, about two out of five sufferers did not consult a healthcare practitioner, while little more than a quarter sought a formal diagnosis.

Instead, the vast majority (78 per cent) used over-the-counter pain relief for neck pain.

"I was really reliant on over the counter medications. It became the only defence against the sort of tension that I was feeling in my neck," Ms Champion said.

The Sydneysider started seeking chiropractic care when she was 22, and noticed a difference after four sessions.

"I learned the strategies to interact with technology in a healthy way," she said.

"It was postural correction techniques and easy behaviours that I could change. Even holding my phone at eye level made a dramatic impact."

The survey revealed proper posture, regular breaks, and correct ergonomics significantly reduced neck-pain prevalence.

Dr Kim Lie Jom, a chiropractor with 30 years of experience, said he was seeing a growing number of patients with technology-related injuries.

He believes the number of people suffering from tech neck is much higher than reported, describing the survey results as staggering.

"The survey showed during COVID-19 cases of children and teens experiencing neck pain surged," he told AAP.

"If this trend continues, the implications into the future would be quite dramatic."

With millions of Australians affected by neck pain, health bodies including the Australian Chiropractors Association are urging action to prevent tech neck across all ages.