Neck Pain? It might be Spasmodic Torticollis

Spasmodic torticollis (“torticollis”) is a condition involving painful spasm of very specific muscles that attach to the neck. The term torticollis literally means “twisted neck.”

Typically, this condition involves spasm of the trapezius (Fig. 1)and/or sternocleidomastoid (SCM) (Fig. 2) muscles.  The most common presentation is strong spasm with pain on one side, which makes it difficult to turn the neck or actually holds it in a tilted and twisted position. 

The trapezius and SCM share a common nerve supply, the Spinal Accessory Nerve, which is also the 11th Cranial Nerve. Although cranial nerves typically begin and end within the skull, the Spinal Accessory Nerve is an exception, and has important internal connections in the cervical spine (neck). 

Frequently, torticollis occurs from having the neck in an awkward positon for a lengthy time. Because it is often noticed upon waking,

people usually tell us they “slept wrong.”  The spasm occurs because the abnormal positioning irritated a joint or nerve in the neck. Spasm is a protective mechanism designed to prevent further injury, in this case to a joint or a nerve.

Treatment involves reducing the irritation to the joint and nerve and stretching out the muscle. The most effective stretching techniques to reduce the spasm of torticollis are assisted stretches (done with a practitioner’s help) abbreviated PNF/PIR. When combined with chiropractic adjustment, electric stim for pain, and ultrasound to break up any trigger points, full recovery is usually realized with 2 weeks of regular care.  Persistent pain or stubborn trigger points may be addressed with acupuncture and massage.  If you think you might have this and it has not improved in a couple days, call today!

Pain Control Without The Pills

Pain is a very personal experience. It is often difficult for people to put their pain experience in words because the pain affects them in so many ways. Regardless, the first and foremost thing we must do is try to identify the source of the pain. Sometimes this is straightforward, such as a herniated disc clearly visible on MRI, sometimes it is not, like chronic pain that started years prior from seemingly nothing at all.

Once the source of the pain is identified, we can plan a course of action. While certainly medications have their place, we must remember that pills do not correct the cause of the pain, rather they mask it. Instead, we want to identify and address the root cause of pain.

Pain usually starts with an injury. Now, an injury may or may not be painful when it occurs. Sometimes, it takes a day or two before the pain comes, and by then you may have forgotten what happened. When an injury occurs, some of the cells that make up the injured tissue rupture and release chemicals that increase blood flow and cause swelling to occur. Take a bruise, for example. Bruises occur when a blood vessel is ruptured and blood leaks out into the surrounding tissue. Swelling distorts the tissue and increases pressure, which irritates local nerves. The nerve irritation is what causes pain.  The cycle of pain and inflammation will continue until the tissue is healed.

At our office, we attempt to address the root cause with several interventions that work best when used together. C.A.N.E. is an acronym we use for Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Nutrition, and therapeutic Exercises individually designed to hit pain at the source and put you on the path to true recovery.

As you can see, the treatments we use affect the cycle of pain and inflammation at multiple points to interrupt it and allow your body to heal the best it possibly can.  Without targeted interventions such as these, the body may lay down scar tissue with a loose collection of free nerve endings that typically result in the development of chronic, dull, achy pain. This type of pain is much harder to eliminate.

One of the most common questions we get about treatment is, "How long will it take for me to get better?" Most conditions respond very well within 2-4 weeks if we catch them right away. However, we have to remember that healing is a process, and what we do here is attempt to remove barriers to promote healthy healing. Every situation is unique, and we try very hard to reduce healing time and get you back to normal as quickly as possible.

Why live with pain when there are non-drug, non-surgical pain relief and healing options open to you? Call us today to see if C.A.N.E can help your condition!