Torticollis Health Dictionary

Twisting of the neck, causing the head to be tilted and fixed in an abnormal position (wry neck). There is often neck pain and stiffness. The cause is usually a minor neck injury that irritates cervical nerves, leading to muscle spasm. Other causes are sleeping in an awkward position, a neck-muscle injury at birth, and a burn or injury that has caused heavy scarring.

Torticollis due to muscle spasm may be treated by use of an orthopaedic collar (see collar, orthopaedic), heat treatment, ultrasound treatment, physiotherapy, or injections of the toxin that causes botulism. When the cause is an injury arising from birth, the muscle is gently stretched several times each day; occasionally, an operation is required.

This is shortness of the sternomastoid muscle on one side, resulting in asymmetry and limitation of movement of the neck. (See SPASMODIC TORTICOLLIS; WRY-NECK.)

(wryneck) n. an irresistible turning movement of the head that becomes more persistent, so that eventually the head is held continually to one side. This is a form of *dystonia; the spasm of the muscles is often painful. It may be caused by a birth injury to the sternomastoid muscle (see sternomastoid tumour). Relief may be obtained by cutting the motor nerve roots of the spinal nerves in the neck region or by injection of the affected muscles with *botulinum toxin.