Torticollis: what to do and what to take to end this pain fast

To cure torticollis, eliminating neck pain and being able to move your head freely, it is necessary to combat the involuntary contraction of the neck muscles.

Light torticollis can be relieved only by using a hot compress and a gentle neck massage, but when the torticollis is more severe and the limitation to turn the neck to the side is great, some specific techniques can be used.

An excellent home treatment consists of following these steps:

1. Tilt your body forward

Just spread your legs apart and lean your body forward, leaving your head hanging. The goal is for the head and arms to be very loose, and you should stay in that position for about 2 minutes. This will cause the weight of the head to act as a pendulum, which will increase the space between the cervical vertebrae and decrease the spasm of the neck muscles.

It is possible to move the head with small movements to one side and the other, just to make sure that the muscles of the shoulders and neck are relaxed.

2. Press the muscles

This technique consists of pressing with the thumb the middle part of the muscle that is sore for 30 seconds. Then press the part where the muscle starts, on the back of the neck, for another 30 seconds. During this part of the treatment you can stand or sit and with your head facing forward.

3. Physiotherapy

You need to stretch your neck and to do this you must use a technique called muscle energy. This consists of placing the hand (on the side with the stiff neck) on the head and applying force by pushing the head against the hand. Hold this strength for 5 seconds and relax, resting for another 5 seconds. Repeat this exercise 4 more times. Gradually the range of motion will increase.

This video indicates exactly how this exercise can be done:

If, after completing the exercise, there is still movement limitation, you can move to the opposite side. This means that if the pain is on the right side you should put your left hand on your head and push your head with your hand. Maintain this strength without moving your head for 5 seconds and then rest for another 5 seconds. Then it will stretch the muscle to the left side, which is what is affected.

4. Massage and compress

Massage the shoulder to the ear

Apply a compress or warm pouch on the spot

Massaging your neck using sweet almond oil or some moisturizing cream is also a good way to reduce pain and discomfort. The massage should be performed on the shoulders, neck, neck and head, but should only be performed at the end of the treatment, after having performed the exercises and techniques previously indicated.

The massage should not be performed too strongly, but you can press the palm of the hand a little on the neck muscles, towards the shoulders towards the ears. Small silicone cups, which form a vacuum inside can also be used, with little pressure to increase blood supply and help loosen muscle fibers.

Finally, a warm compress can be placed on the neck area, allowing to act for about 20 minutes.

5. Remedies for stiff neck

The remedies for torticollis should only be used after doctor's advice and usually include anti-inflammatory ointments such as Cataflan, muscle relaxant pills or anti-spasmodic remedies, such as Ana-flex, Torsilax, Coltrax or Mioflax, for example. Applying an adhesive like Salompas is also a good strategy to cure torticollis faster. Learn other remedies you can use to treat stiff neck.

These remedies are also recommended for individuals with spasmodic torticollis, which is a type of torticollis that recurs recurrently in several members of the same family.

When to go to the doctor

Usually stiff neck improves after the first 24 hours, and tends to last from 3 days to 5 days. Therefore, if the stiff neck takes more than 1 week to heal or if symptoms such as tingling, loss of strength in the arm, if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, fever or if you are unable to control urine or feces, you should seek medical help.

What is torticollis

Torticollis is an involuntary contraction of the neck muscles caused by poor posture when sleeping or when using the computer, for example, causing pain in the side of the neck and difficulty moving the head. It is common for the person to wake up with torticollis and have difficulty moving the neck, but in some cases the muscle is so stuck that the person cannot move the neck to either side and can walk like a 'robot', for example.

An intense contracture in the middle of the back can also be confused with 'torticollis', but this classification is not certain because torticollis only happens in the neck muscles, so there is no torticollis in the middle of the back. In this case, it is a contracture of the muscles in the middle of the back that can also be treated with medicines in the form of pills, ointments, salompas, in addition to stretching and hot compresses.

Torticollis symptoms

Symptoms of torticollis mainly include pain in the neck and limited head movement. In addition, it can also happen that one shoulder is higher than the other, or that the face is asymmetrical, with the top of the head to one side and the chin to the other.

It is common for the symptoms of torticollis to appear in the morning due to poor head position when sleeping, but it is also frequent to happen after going to the gym due to excessive strain on the neck, when doing abs incorrectly, due to significant and sudden differences in temperature, or in an accident, for example.

In addition, some babies are already born with torticollis and so they may not turn their heads to one side, although they do not show any pain symptoms. In this case, it is a condition called congenital torticollis. If your child was born with torticollis, read: Congenital torticollis.

How long does torticollis last?

Usually torticollis lasts a maximum of 3 days, but it causes a lot of pain and discomfort, impairing the affected person's daily life. Putting warm compresses on the neck and adopting the strategies we have indicated above is recommended to cure torticollis faster.

What causes stiff neck

It is very common for people to wake up with torticollis, but this change in head position can also happen due to:

Congenital problems, such as when the baby is born with congenital torticollis, requiring treatment, sometimes surgical; Trauma, involving the head and neck; Changes in the spine, such as herniated discs, scoliosis, changes in the C1 2 C2 vertebrae, in the neck; Infections of the respiratory system, which causes torticollis and fever, or others such as meningitis; region of the mouth, head or neck; in the case of diseases such as Parkinson's, where the muscles are more prone to muscle spasms; taking certain medications, such as traditional dopamine receptor blockers, metoclopramide, phenytoin or carbamazepine.

The most common type of torticollis usually lasts 48 hours and is easy to solve. However, when there are other symptoms, such as fever or others, you should go to the doctor to investigate. Some medications that may be recommended by the doctor include diprospam, miosan and torsilax, for example.