A brutal pain then the neck that hangs: these are the first symptoms of torticollis. Whether chronic or transient, it is usually benign, but in all cases very painful. And then, in case of torticollis, what to do? To read our explanations and tips to act!
What is a torticollis?
Torticollis is a contracture of the neck muscles that prevents head movement and can lead to neck deflection. The pain sometimes radiates into the arm (cervico-brachial neuralgia) or in the back.
Sometimes the torticollis can last several months with a lateral inclination of the head, it is the spasmodic torticollis (or dystonia of the muscles of the neck).
The contracture of the neck is triggered reflexively either by a bad position (often lying down), by an unsuitable effort of the neck, or by a prolonged exposure to cold.
However, other causes, sometimes more serious, can be at the origin: cervical osteoarthritis, disc herniation, or in very rare cases, an infection of a vertebral disc.
The causes of chronic torticollis are poorly known. Only hypothesis: a nervous irritation that would be responsible for the contracture.
In children, your doctor will look for signs of possible meningitis (most often in an infectious context with fever and headaches), which would be an emergency.