Torticollis
Also called a wry neck, a Torticollis is usually a very painful condition that is always characterised by a flexed and rotated neck posture.
If your child has a Torticollis or a wry neck get it checked out immediately.
What are the causes of Torticollis?
In the adult population, it is often attributed to:
- Poor sleeping posture,
- Muscle strain,
- Facet joint strain (one of the small joints of the spine),
- Upper respiratory infection (also called Grisel’s syndrome), with flu season upon us at the time of writing this, is one to especially watch out for,
- Spinal disc injury.
What does a Torticollis look like though?
The neck and head become stuck in a fixed posture bent to the side, a flexed little forward and then rotated to the same side. Usually, it’s very difficult for someone suffering from a Torticollis to move their head out of this posture and it becomes all but impossible to perform small everyday tasks like checking your blind spot while driving.
It’s usually VERY painful, especially on movement and you may notice some neck muscle spasms especially on the side the neck is bent towards. There may be some spasm and soreness of the upper back and the shoulder associated with a Torticollis too.
What do you do about Torticollis?
If you think you have a Torticollis you should see your health care provider, there are a number of concerning conditions that can underlie a Torticollis and they may need further investigation, talk to someone like your Chiro, Physio or GP and they’ll check things out.
Treatment depends on a lot of factors and your health care provider can give you some options.
Many simple muscle and joint strains will respond well to treatment which is especially useful if the pain or posture of this condition is stopping you from working, driving, or your other important daily activities.
Hi, I’m Michael; Chiropractor, Dad, science enthusiast, active weightlifter and keen sportsman. I work with busy and active people who are struggling with pain to find relief from their symptoms so that they can return to an active lifestyle, get through their work day and their workouts without having to pop a pill so that they can feel happier and healthier in their body.
