Wry Neck
What is Wry Neck?
Acute torticollis, or wry neck, is a painful neck stiffness that decreases your range of motion and can be secondary to several problems, such as a prolapsed disk, a facet joint problem or an undiagnosed cervical fracture, although the underlying cause is unknown.
What causes Wry Neck?
Commonly the condition occurs in the 15-30 age group and the causes include sudden disc prolapse, inflamed cervical glands, vertebral infection, ocular disorders and injuries to the cervical spine What are the symptoms of Wry Neck?
In most cases the person wakes up with the painful stiff neck, although occasionally the neck may become stuck following a sudden movement. The head will be held to one side and the neck is too painful to move. Attempting to move the neck will usually make the pain worse. In some cases the pain will radiate up the neck or down to the shoulder area.
What treatments can you have for Wry Neck?
Because the cause of this condition is not known for sure, it is important to rule out injury to the discs in the neck or degenerative conditions of the neck. To do this is it best to see a medical professional and, if necessary, a referral will be made to a specialist. Once it has been established that there is no serious underlying problem, the wry neck is usually best treated through mobilisation by a physiotherapist. This involves the physiotherapist gently applying pressure to each vertebra in the neck in order to loosen them and allow a greater range of movement.
Things you can do yourself
- Rest during the acute phase only. It is preferable to remain active but you should not participate in any activities that may exacerbate the pain in your lower back
- Cold therapy: Put a cold pack (typically an ice pack applied for 20 minutes) directly on the injury
- Thermotherapy: Apply heat (typically in the form of heated pads, warms packs or lamps) to the areas of the body causing pain. NB. Often Cold therapy and Thermotherapy are alternated, with the cold application happening first.
Rehabilitation Treatment
- Physiotherapy