This contraction of the cervical muscles, often caused by poor posture or repetitive movements, can make neck movements difficult and uncomfortable, limiting your ability to turn your head.
If you are wondering what to do in case of torticollis, know that a consultation with a chiropractor can be beneficial to relieve your pain and restore your neck’s mobility.
What is Torticollis?
Torticollis is a contraction of the neck muscles that causes pain and stiffness in the cervical region, thus limiting head movements. The affected person tends to keep their head tilted to the right or left, depending on which side is less painful.
There are several types of torticollis. Here are the main ones:
- Congenital torticollis is observed in newborn babies. It often results from the baby’s poor position in the uterus during pregnancy.
- The Grisel’s syndrome (also called “acquired torticollis in children”) is a torticollis that appears suddenly in children, usually following an upper respiratory tract infection, especially of the throat. It can cause serious complications such as paralysis.
- Adult torticollis is a common form of torticollis. Its causes can vary: poor sleeping position, inadequate posture at work, sudden impact (e.g., in a car accident), and so on.
Chiropractic care can be an effective solution to relieve pain and restore neck mobility in adults suffering from torticollis.
How Long Does Torticollis Last?
Generally, adult torticollis can resolve without treatment in three to four weeks. However, the risk of recurrence can then be high. If the causes associated with torticollis are not addressed, it may lead to premature joint wear, increasing the risk of relapses and future complications. It is therefore recommended to consult a healthcare professional if you suspect this condition.
People who consult a chiropractor to treat torticollis usually feel relief from the first sessions. However, some patients may require longer-term treatment to ensure complete recovery.
What Are the Symptoms of Torticollis?
One of the most obvious signs of torticollis is the involuntary tilt of the head to the right or left, depending on the muscle contraction. This abnormal head position may also manifest as one shoulder being higher than the other.
Besides the head tilt, people with torticollis usually experience pain and muscle stiffness in the neck region. Neck movements become difficult and uncomfortable, and the ability to move the head normally is limited.
Moreover, due to prolonged muscle contraction, the neck muscles can quickly become fatigued, contributing to muscle weakness and discomfort. In some cases, torticollis may also be accompanied by headaches.
What Can Cause Torticollis?
Poor sleeping position (such as sleeping on the stomach, which requires keeping the head turned) is a frequent cause of torticollis. Indeed, to protect the poorly positioned joint, the neck muscles contract, causing the characteristic pain of torticollis.
Repetitive neck movements can also cause torticollis. For example, activities that frequently require tilting the head backward, such as painting a ceiling, place excessive stress on the cervical muscles, which can lead to torticollis.
Similarly, torticollis can also be triggered by a sudden and abrupt neck movement. For example, a violent impact car accident can cause a cervical sprain and consequently torticollis.
Other common factors that can contribute to torticollis include stress, which causes muscle tension, as well as adopting poor posture during daily activities or at work.
Who Is Most at Risk of Developing Torticollis?
People adopting poor posture, such as office workers who spend long hours in front of a computer, are at risk of torticollis. Individuals performing repetitive tasks, exposed to stress, or sleeping in poor positions are also likely to develop this painful condition.
Chiropractic Diagnosis of Torticollis
As a specialist of the neuro-musculoskeletal system, the chiropractor is qualified to diagnose torticollis. Dysfunction of the vertebral joint (referred to here as the presence of a vertebral subluxation complex) can promote recurrent torticollis. This is why it is important to consult a chiropractor.
During the consultation, the chiropractor performs several tests and examinations to make an accurate diagnosis and establish a treatment plan adapted to the patient’s situation.
The chiropractor first takes a medical history by asking questions to gather important information about the patient’s medical background, the nature of the symptoms, and their progression.
He then conducts a thorough physical exam of the patient’s neck. He may also ask the patient to perform specific movements to identify positions or actions that trigger or worsen symptoms.
Based on these observations, the chiropractor makes a diagnosis and determines if chiropractic care is appropriate. If the cause of the pain exceeds the scope of chiropractic care, the chiropractor can refer the patient to another healthcare professional.
Chiropractic Treatments to Relieve Torticollis
Chiropractic adjustments are a commonly used method to restore normal neck mobility and reduce muscle tension in the cervical region when a patient suffers from torticollis.
Other manual therapy techniques, such as stretching, massage, and joint mobilizations, may also be offered to soothe torticollis. These methods aim, among other things, to release muscle tension and stimulate blood circulation in the neck area.
The chiropractor may also consider the application of ice or heat, the use of therapeutic bandages, and laser therapy as complementary means to relieve the patient’s symptoms and relax the neck muscles.
Finally, from a preventive perspective, the chiropractor can provide advice to reduce the risk of recurrence. This may include, for example, changes to be made to posture at work or during sleep to promote better cervical health.
Consulting a Chiropractor to Treat Torticollis
Torticollis is a contraction of the neck muscles that can cause intense neck pain and significantly limit normal head movement. Often observed in office workers, this condition can be due, among other things, to poor posture or repetitive movements.
Do not wait until your symptoms worsen before consulting a healthcare professional. Beyond the initial pain, reduced neck mobility can have significant consequences on your daily life, including causing headaches and migraines.
Whether your neck pain is related to a car accident, poor sleeping position, or another problem, do not hesitate to make an appointment with a chiropractor for a comprehensive evaluation.