Torticollis in Dulwich Hill

Woman holding neck Torticollis in adults, which is also known as wry neck, is a painful condition where the muscles in your neck spasm. This causes you to twist your neck to one side, which will place your head at an odd and uncomfortable angle. Chiropractic care at My Back Relief Clinic may help relieve torticollis pain.

Symptoms of Torticollis

Pain and stiffness are the most common symptoms of torticollis. It is also common for adults with torticollis to find it difficult to move or straighten their neck or head. Due to muscle spasms, torticollis may cause you to uncontrollably tilt your head forward or to one side in various ways, including:

Your chin bent towards a shoulder
Tilting an ear towards a shoulder
Holding your chin straight up
Tilting your chin straight down

Other symptoms may include the inability to turn your head, tenderness, neck pain, or pain in the shoulders and down the spine.

Causes of Torticollis

There are a variety of torticollis causes. In adults, torticollis (a sudden muscle spasm) may be brought on by:

Poor posture habits, such as looking down at your phone for long periods of time, or working behind a computer that is not setup ergonomically
Awkward sleeping positions that don’t provide enough support for your head
Carrying heavy loads or bags that cause uneven posture and an uneven distribution of weight
Neck injuries, such as whiplash, or sporting injuries
In some cases, the movement disorder known as dystonia may cause the muscles in your neck to contract involuntarily.

In babies, a difficult birth or your baby’s position in the womb may cause infant torticollis, or infant wry neck. Some babies may be born with an abnormality in their spine, causing a stiff neck.

Symptoms of Infant Torticollis

Since your baby can’t tell you that their neck hurts, you have to be on the lookout for symptoms of torticollis. The following may indicate infant torticollis:

Your baby only being able to tilt their head in one direction, or restricted range of motion
It seems like hard work for your baby to turn their head and look at you
Looking at you over one shoulder instead of turning to follow you
When breastfeeding, you may notice that your baby has difficulty breastfeeding on one side

It may be difficult for you to determine if your baby has a stiff neck or just a head tilt that will correct itself. If you feel that the issue persists, or if the restricted movement is starting to upset you, please consult with us for expert advice.

Addressing Torticollis

When it comes to seeking out care for torticollis, there may be a number of symptoms that warrant further investigation. These may include:

Persistent pain, or pain that is getting worse
Difficulty in turning your neck, restricted range of movement or having your neck “stuck” in a certain position
Numbness, tingling or pins and needles, which may indicate nerve interference
You start having difficulties with your bladder or bowel, or you have a fever as well as neck pain

There are several methods and options to address torticollis in adults including applying heat, massaging the neck, manual therapy, gentle stretches, and chiropractic care.

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