Torticollis

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Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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• Torticollis Overview
• Torticollis Causes and Risk Factors
• Torticollis Symptoms and Signs
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Torticollis Diagnosis
• Torticollis Treatment
• Torticollis Medications
• Torticollis Surgery
• Torticollis Prognosis
• Authors and Editors
• Viewer Comments: Torticollis - Treatment

Torticollis (wryneck) is one of a broader category of disorders that exhibit flexion, extension, or twisting of muscles of the neck beyond their normal position. In torticollis, the neck tends to twist to one side, causing head tilt. The condition can either develop slowly if you have a family history of the disorder, or acutely from trauma, or as an adverse reaction to medications.

When the disorder occurs in people with a family history, it is referred to as spasmodic torticollis. The characteristic twisting of the neck is initially spasmodic and begins between 31-50 years of age. If you leave the condition untreated, it likely will become permanent.

Bending or twisting your neck too far can lead to acute torticollis. This condition appears with few symptoms, although often you will appear uncomfortable and will hold your head straight or rotated to one side. It will hurt to move your head to the opposite side. Your neck muscles on the side that hurts often are tender to the touch. The doctor will check your nerve and motor function to rule out spinal cord injury.

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