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Chiropractic Care for Neck Pain Due to Torticollis
Chiropractic Care for Neck Pain Due to Torticollis
Imagine going to sleep feeling perfectly normal, only to wake up the next day unable to move your head at all. If you’ve experienced this, it’s quite likely that you are dealing with torticollis.
What is torticollis?
Torticollis is a condition where the muscles of the neck spasm, causing the head to be tilted. The head tilt can happen in several directions depending on what muscles in the neck are in spasm. Torticollis can result from a traumatic event, such as a car accident or a fall.
There are two types of torticollis: acquired and congenital.
Acquired torticollis can affect anyone at any age. It has a myriad of causes but often develops as a result of damage to the muscles, nervous system or upper spine.
The most important key in treating acquired torticollis is to identify the root cause of the condition.
Symptoms of torticollis:
The symptoms of torticollis can differ from person to person but generally they are:
- Limited range of motion of the head
- Headache
- Head tremor
- Neck pain
- Shoulder that is higher on one side of the body
- Stiffness of the neck muscles
- Swelling of the neck muscles (possibly present at birth)
Congenital torticollis is rare and is often due to birth trauma. When an infant is suffering from congenital torticollis, you’ll notice that the baby is always lying down or sitting with his head tilted to to one side. No matter what your baby does, the baby’s head is constantly tilted to the same side.
The muscle most often injured is the sternocleidomastoid (SCM). This damage often occurs in babies who were delivered breech or were removed with forceps. Treatment for babies with congenital torticollis is often successful, especially when it is started within three months of birth.
What are the treatments for torticollis?
The following are the treatments for congenital torticollis:
- Passive stretching of the neck muscles
- Postural training/proper positioning of the head
If conservative treatment fails, then surgery can be done to correct the problem. Surgery is most often performed in the child’s preschool years.
Acquired torticollis is treated after underlying pathology is ruled out. Treatments include:
- Gentle Chiropractic adjustments
- Medical massage therapy
- Cervical traction
- Heat
- Stretches and exercises for cervical muscles
In severe cases, surgery may be required. Before you consider surgery, you should first try 8 weeks of conservative care treatment like chiropractic care 1.
Complications from untreated torticollis could be muscle swelling due to constant contraction and damage to nerves from compression.
If you are experiencing neck pain, it could be torticollis. If you live or work in Stuart, FL, then call 855-509-5400 to schedule an appointment with Advanced Wellness Solutions.
