Skull 'grows' spikes suspected to be due to smartphone addiction
Frequent use of smartphones and other handheld electronic devices causes small spikes to appear in the area behind the neck, near the skull.
Scientists from the University of the Sunshine Coast (Australia) said that more and more young patients are coming to hospital with small spikes on the back of their necks. Usually, they are about 2.6 cm long but in some cases they can be up to 3.1 cm.
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Photo of a thorn behind the neck of a 28-year-old male patient. Photo:David Shahar/Mark GL Sayers/Scientific Reports/CC. |
AboveScientific Reports, scientists at the University of The Sunshine Coast said the phenomenon of skulls "growing" spikes on the skull is also known asoccipital spinous process (EEOP), which mainly occurs in the elderly. However, the survey on1,200 volunteers aged 18-86 found that 33% suffered from EEOP, with the majority of them being men aged 18-30. Scientists said the condition began to appear in the 1990s and is becoming more common.
"I've been a doctor for 20 years and have noticed a significant increase in the number of spines appearing at the back of the skull over the past decade," said David Shahar, a health expert at the University of The Sunshine Coast.
Scientists have not yet found a precise link, but believe that using electronic devices in an incorrect posture leads to this condition. Sitting for hours with the neck bent or bent too low can put pressure on the base of the skull, and the body responds by developing small spurs to support it.