Wry neck or torticollis, is a painful condition where the neck gets stuck in a tilted or turned position. The head tilt is accompanied with discomfort, stiffness, and sometimes severe pain. This condition can be caused by several factors, including prolonged poor posture or trauma, and the underlying issue often stems from muscle spasm caused by a disc of facet joint injury in the neck. it is also a common reason for people to seek help from a chiropractor. Some of you may be wondering: Can chiropractic care help wry neck? And if so, how? Let’s explore how chiropractic treatments can help manage this condition.
What is Wry Neck (Torticollis)?
Torticollis or wry neck happens when the neck muscles contract uncontrollably, causing the head to twist to one side. This misalignment causes pain, discomfort, and limited neck mobility, which can be worsened by activities like turning your head or sleeping in an uncomfortable position.
Torticollis can occur suddenly, but it may also develop over time due to prolonged poor posture, and gradual insult of the soft tissues in the neck.
What are the Causes of Wry Neck (Torticollis)?
Several factors can contribute to the development of wry neck or torticollis, including:
- Muscle Spasms: These spasms are generally the consequence of underlying insult to cervical discs or facet joints.
- Cervical Degeneration: Over time, wear and tear of the cervical spine can lead to injured discs and facet joints. These degenerative changes can contribute to the development of muscle spasm and wry neck. Moreover, if you want to know more about cervical degeneration, you might want to read our previous blog on the symptoms of cervical degeneration.
- Trauma or Injury: Injuries to the neck, such as those caused by a fall or whiplash, can also lead to torticollis. The sudden movement may cause the soft tissues in the neck to become overstretched, leading to a protective muscle spasm and the characteristic tilted head.
- Poor Posture: Maintaining poor posture over long periods of time can lead to the development of wry neck. For example, looking down at your phone or computer, or sitting with your head slumped for extended periods, can lead insult to the cervical spine and subsequent Torticollis.
How Can a Chiropractor Help Torticollis?
At Agape Chiropractic Hong Kong, our registered chiropractors specialize in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal issues like torticollis. Chiropractic care focuses on the underlying causes of your neck pain, rather than merely reducing the symptoms. Chiropractors aim at reducing the recurrence of your condition. Here’s how chiropractic care can help individuals struggling with wry neck:
- Soft tissue therapies, such as deep tissue massage and physical agent modalities such as ultrasound therapy and interferential current therapy. These therapies help to decrease inflammation, muscle spasm and pain, and help improve blood perfusion to the affected areas.
- A Chiropractor in HK can provide expert manual therapy, including skillful spinal manipulative therapy, and prescribe customised exercises to help strengthen the neck muscles.
- Poor posture can contribute to neck pain and torticollis. A chiropractor will educate you on how to maintain good posture, especially during daily activities such as using a smartphone, driving, or working at a desk.
Conclusion
If you are dealing with a wry neck, chiropractic care can provide non-invasive treatment and quick relief. Chiropractors use a holistic approach, with a combination of soft tissue therapies, exercises, and lifestyle modifications to treat the underlying causes of neck pain. At Agape Chiropractic Hong Kong, we are committed to helping you recover from a wry neck.
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