The facts

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Torticollis, commonly known as wry neck, is a condition characterised by pain and muscle spasm. People often feel it as a stiff neck that they wake up with.​ 

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Symptoms of wry neck

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You may present with pinching pain in the neck. There may also be referring pain into the shoulder and limited movement without neck pain.

 

The neck will often be turned and rotated to one side causing it to lock into a rotated position. Other symptoms may include:

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• Abnormal head posture

• Limited range of motion

• Pain in the neck

• Tight neck and shoulder musculature

• Neck cramps or muscle spasms

• Headaches.

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Causes of wry neck

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The cause is often unknown. You may wake up with pain, but it can often come on during the day. 

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Possible causes of wry neck may be any of the following:

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• Sitting or sleeping awkwardly, without sufficient support for your neck and head

• Poor posture due to factors such as a workstation that is not ergonomically suited to you

• Neck strain due to carrying bags with unequal amounts of weight (e.g. a handbag on one side and heavy shopping bags on the other)

• The neck being exposed to the cold (e.g. sleeping or sitting in a room with a draught.

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Treatment of wry neck

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Chiropractic treatment in Ascot Vale and Moonee Ponds may involve spinal manipulation.

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At Unleashed Health, we often see people presenting with stiff or tight neck symptoms.

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If that sounds like you, and you live in or around the Ascot Vale and Moonee Ponds area, please give us a call today. We'd love to help!

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References:

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/torticollis

Souza T. Differential diagnosis and management for the chiropractor, Protocols and algorithms, Fourth edition.  Jones and Bartlett Publishing 2009

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