Torticollis is an involuntary contracture that causes neck pain and locking. It can be very painful if its symptoms are very obvious and its cause is usually trivial. How to cure?
Torticollis: Definition, Causes, and Symptoms
Torticollis corresponds to an involuntary muscle contraction of one of the neck muscles. It causes severe pain in the neck and restricted movement. Pain may extend to the shoulder, arm, or back. People with torticollis have very tight neck muscles. Usually, torticollis appears suddenly.
Generally, torticollis occurs upon waking, after a night of sleeping in poor posture. It can also occur after exertion or due to poor posture during the day, such as in front of a computer.
The main symptoms of torticollis are:
neck pain;
Difficulty turning the head;
stiff neck muscles;
one shoulder higher than the other;
Headache;
Shoulder, arm, back pain.
Different types of torticollis
So-called “banal” torticollis (at least 1 in 10 people have experienced it).
Chronic or spastic torticollis for which medical treatment is warranted.
The exact origin of permanent torticollis is often unknown. These may be abnormal signals in the nervous system (abnormalities that cause muscles to contract involuntarily). This is also called neck muscle dystonia.
Got torticollis how to do?
Don’t force yourself into thinking that stretching contracted muscles will take the load off you. Instead, it may make your torticollis worse. Respect the pain and maintain the least painful position possible.
Take, for example, paracetamol, the most common pain reliever available in family pharmacies (Doliprane®, Efferalgan®, Dafalgan®, etc.). This should give you a sigh of relief. Do not take any other anti-inflammatory or pain relievers without your doctor’s advice.
Use heat to help relax your muscles: Hot showers, hot baths, heating patches, very hot ointments, hot water bottles, hot packs, and even pebbles soaked in hot water can also be used. Find the most practical solution to help ease your burden. A helpful technique: use a hair dryer to send hot air to the affected area. Be careful not to burn yourself!
Massage the painful area by squeezing, stretching, or using a ball wedged between the neck and the wall or against the back of the sofa.
What if torticollis persists for more than 24 to 48 hours?
Mild torticollis usually lasts less than 48 hours. If it doesn’t get better after 24 hours and you’re still in a lot of pain, you can:
Buy a foam collar at the drugstore and wear it day and night. This will lighten your neck;
Make an appointment with an osteopath or chiropractor. Some manipulations can help your neck get better;
Consult an acupuncturist, as acupuncture can help relieve torticollis;
If that’s not enough, talk to your doctor. He can also prescribe a muscle relaxant. Sometimes weight bearing neck traction techniques can break torticollis. Finally, your doctor will look for the exact cause of this torticollis to determine if it is indeed common torticollis and not another problem or spastic torticollis, which is a completely different condition.
Adjunctive treatment for torticollis
Homeopathy
Bryona 5 CH: 3 capsules per hour.
Lachnantes 5 CH: If you feel cold and your head is tilted to one side, take 3 capsules 3 times a day.
Dulcamara 5 CH: 3 capsules 3 times a day if the stiff neck is aggravated by cold and damp.
Actea racemosa 9 CH: If exercise triggers torticollis, take 3 capsules 3 times a day.
essential oil
Massage yourself with a mixture of a few drops of essential oils (3 drops) and vegetable oils (5 drops). Essential oils can be:
rosemary and camphor;
holly;
tarragon;
lemon eucalyptus;
Helichrysum;
ETC
The ideal vegetable oil is Arnica or St. John’s Wort, but if you don’t have any, use edible vegetable oils (sunflower, olive, etc.)! Better to give yourself a quick massage than to wait for the ideal concoction.
