Symptoms And Relief Of Muscular Torticollis

We speak of muscular torticollis when there is a contraction of the muscles in the neck. It usually appears due to poor sleeping position. A bad neck position can lead to stiffness and a lot of pain when moving. Today’s article is about the symptoms and relief of muscular torticollis.

As the article ‘update on acute mechanical cervicalgia’ points out (which you can find in English here), muscular torticollis can also occur after exposure to drafts or from forced movements. So you need to take care of your neck to avoid this painful condition.

Congenital muscular torticollis

Before dealing with the hallmark symptoms of muscular torticollis, let’s introduce the term congenital muscular torticollis (scientific article can be found here). The word congenital refers to the presence of this condition from the time a baby is born. This is also known as a congenital defect.

Studies also show that the condition can result from a certain deformity at birth. The baby’s sternocleidomastoidicus or sternum-clavicle-nipple muscle is shorter.

The only solution in these cases is to undergo surgery as soon as possible. This must be done, because the body will try to compensate for such shortening of the muscle by causing problems in the spine, for example.

As the newborn grows, his or her head will lean more to one side than the other. If it needs to be pulled straight, there will be resistance along with a slight pain.

While you can avoid surgery in some cases, it is usually the only solution when a child is born with this condition. In any case, it is important to follow the doctor’s instructions so that it develops in the most favorable way for the baby.

The Symptoms of Muscular Torticollis

Now that you’ve learned about one type of congenital torticollis, let’s take a look at the symptoms surrounding the most common version: the temporary version – the one we’re all familiar with because we’ve had it at some point in our lives. We will also tell you how to alleviate this condition.

Limited head movement

Muscular torticollis is an intense pain in the neck when you get out of bed after a night of sleep and feels with every slight movement. Perhaps the head is tilted to one side or the mobility in the area is reduced. If you touch the place where it hurts, you will notice how stiff the muscle is.

• In these cases, avoid sudden movements and warm the neck to regulate the temperature of the area.
• You can give yourself a gentle massage to reduce discomfort (although this effect is only temporary).

Headache

Muscular torticollis can also cause headaches, especially if you’re prone to it. This is due to the stiffness of the area and there may also be cervical pain.

In these cases, you should also avoid sudden movements and try to immobilize the area. If that is not possible, move carefully. Under no circumstances should it aggravate your pain.

Shoulders at a different height

Finally, a hallmark symptom of torticollis is that one shoulder is slightly higher than the other. This is due to the intense contraction that occurs in the muscle, forcing the head to lean to one side.

In this case, you can do a very gentle and controlled stretch to relieve your discomfort. You should also avoid sudden movements. The best thing you can do is rest as much as you can.

In addition, keep in mind that torticollis improves as the days go by. The symptoms usually last about three days. So with proper care, your problem will disappear faster than you expect.

Maintaining good posture while you sleep, as well as choosing a good pillow, can reduce your chances of developing muscular torticollis. In any case, know that everyone will experience it at some point, and it’s nothing to worry about.