Torticollis

Torticollis is when you suffer from a stiff, sore or twisted neck. There are three types of torticollis: acute, spasmodic and congenital.

Acute torticollis frequently appears after a minor accident and is generally felt upon waking up or is felt suddenly following a strenuous exertion that contracts the neck muscles.

Spasmodic torticollis sufferers are subject to involuntary contractions of the neck muscles, causing unmanageable rotation and tilting motions.

Congenital torticollis is mainly seen in children between two and six.

Failure to treat torticollis can cause headaches or breathing problems, affect balance or lead to arthritis and other issues. It can also cause permanent modifications to the spine at the neck level and surrounding muscles.

Symptoms:

• Feeling like you need to move your head to relieve neck tension

• Your neck hurts when you get up in the morning

• Headaches that seem to originate in the nape of your neck

• More than two episodes of neck pain in the past year

• Trouble turning your head

• Trouble finding a comfortable position on your pillow

• Trouble turning your head when backing up the car

• Neck pain following an accident in which your head was suddenly thrown forward and/or backward

• For children: tilting his or her head to the side

• For children: always sleeping with his or her head turned to the same side