Chiropractic Care for Pseudotorticollis: Inability to Move the Head in Any Direction Without Pain

Posted on December 20, 2020December 1, 2022 by

From Dr. Natalie Meiri’s Clinical Pearl Stories:

Chiropractic Care for Pseudotorticollis:

Inability to Move the Head in Any Direction Without Pain

Author: Natalie Meiri, D.C. Posted: 12/17/20

This was a 33 year old patient who presented to my office with neck and mid back pain. To be HIPAA compliant, I will call her Carla instead of her real name. Carla’s pain had come on while preparing her christmas holiday party for 20 people at her house which was in a week. Even though she was excited and happy, this caused her a lot of stress. She didn’t have a history of trauma and couldn’t think of anything she had done. She just “woke up” with this condition a day ago. Carla was particularly concerned since she couldn’t move her head in any direction without pain. Carla had come directly to my office after taking some pain medication which “did nothing”.

Since Carla’s head was held in neutral (posture when the joints are not bent), I thought it was pseudotorticollis and not the classic torticollis where the neck is deviated/twisted in one direction. Pseudotorticollis has no known cause. However, the exam had to be fully performed to rule out any number of causes for classic torticollis. And causes for classic torticollis included CNS (central nervous system) infection, tumor, and basal ganglion (group of neurons/nerve cells in the brain involved in voluntary movement) disease. Above all, Carla didn’t have congenital torticollis (from birth trauma, i.e. breech delivery).

Carla’s consultation and chiropractic care for pseudotorticollis: inability to move the head in any direction without pain

Upon examination, there were positive tests for Carla’s cervical (neck) and thoracic (mid back) spine for pseudotorticollis. She didn’t have a fever with the temperature check (to rule out an infection). Moreover, she had global muscle spasm in her neck. A neurological check for upper motor neuron (nerves that send messages between brain and spine) and lower motor neuron (nerves that relay messages between spine and muscles) dysfunction was negative.

Carla was only 33 years old, but was a smoker for many years which necessitated taking x-rays (to rule out cancer). I took some x-rays of her neck and mid back. Findings on her x-rays were early degenerative joint disease/osteoarthritis (wear and tear type arthritis) of her spine.

Carla’s chiropractic treatment consisted of chiropractic manipulation/ adjustments of the cervical (neck) and thoracic (mid back) spine. Additionally, soft tissue therapy (myofascial release, pressure point and post isometric relaxation to patient tolerance) and modalities (cold/heat therapy and electric muscle stimulation) were administered as needed. Finally, she was given therapeutic exercises to continue her treatment at home.

Carla came in 3 days in a row for treatment the first week. Then 1-2 times a week thereafter for a number of weeks. She was able to host her holiday party feeling much better a week after her initial treatments. Furthermore, she gained full range of motion back in her neck and was pain free at the end of her chiropractic care.

Torticollis and Pseudotorticollis…

Torticollis is an acute or chronic often painful condition characterized by involuntary intermittent or sustained contraction of the muscles of the neck. This causes the head to tilt or turn sideways, bend forward or backward. For instance, these muscles could be the sternocleidomastoid (muscle located at the base of your skull on either side of your neck, behind your ears and goes to the sternum and clavicle) or trapezius (either of a pair of large triangular muscles extending over the back of the neck and shoulders and moving the head and shoulder blade). In Pseudotorticollis (as in Carla’s case), the patient presents with the inability to move the head in any direction without pain.

Torticollis (called also wryneck) may occur secondary to an injury or a preexisting condition (such as a musculoskeletal abnormality or a neurological disease) but is often of unknown cause. In pseudotorticollis, there is no history of injury/trauma and no obvious cause.

Do you know someone in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach or North Palm Beach who needs chiropractic care for pseudotorticollis: inability to move the head in any direction without pain? Contact Dr. Natalie Meiri of Meiri Chiropractic in West Palm Beach today for chiropractic treatment for pseudotorticollis or another ailment. Call 561-253-8984 to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

Meiri Chiropractic

5601 Corporate Way, Ste 102

West Palm Beach, FL 33407

561-253-8984

Apr

From Dr. Natalie Meiri’s Clinical Pearl Stories: Chiropractic Adjustments for Foot Pain from Metatarsalgia This was a 45 year old patient who had a chief complaint of pain on the bottom of the foot, specifically at the sole. To be HIPAA compliant, I will call her Beatrice instead of her real name. Beatrice had […]

Apr

From Dr. Natalie Meiri’s Clinical Pearl Stories: Computer and Video Game Injuries in Kids: Chiropractic Care is Effective This is my clinical pearl story about Computer and Video Game Injuries in Kids: Chiropractic Care is Effective. Arnold was a 10 year old child who liked playing video games and spent many hours on […]

Apr

Do you have pain, weakness, and paresthesia (tingling, numbness or “pins and needles”) in your arm/forearm (below the elbow)? You may have dull, sore achiness in the extensor muscles (muscles that extend wrist/hand) below your elbow. The pain may be more prominent at night and after use. These are all symptoms of Radial Neuropathy/Entrapment […]

Apr

From Dr. Natalie Meiri’s Clinical Pearl Stories: Chiropractic Care for Cervical Radiculopathy This was a 68 year old patient who had neck and left hand numbness and pain. To be HIPAA compliant, I will call him Wallace instead of his real name. Wallace had treated with another chiropractor prior to seeing me. He had […]

Mar

Do you have Paresthesia (tingling, numbness or “pins and needles”) in your shoulder or arm (above the elbow)? Also, do you have weakness in your arm? You may have limitation of motion of your triceps muscle? These are all symptoms of Radial Neuropathy/Entrapment above the elbow. Read on to learn about Shoulder and Arm […]

Mar

Do you have pain and tenderness around your patellar tendon or lower part of the patella (kneecap)? It may be described as a burning pain in the knee with use or after prolonged sitting with the knee flexed. Perhaps jumping, running or walking may be difficult due to the pain? Additionally, you may have […]

Mar

Do you have persistent pain, burning, aching, or numbness in the back side of your leg, ankle, or foot? These are all symptoms of Sural Neuropathy. Read on to learn about Ankle and Foot Pain Due to Sural Neuropathy: Chiropractic Can Help. Anatomy of the Sural Nerve The […]

Mar

If you have knee pain from Pes Anserinus Bursitis, Chiropractic can provide relief! This post is about Knee Bursitis and Chiropractic Treatment: Pes Anserinus Bursitis. What is bursitis? Bursae are fluid-filled, sac like cavities. Bursae are located where muscles and tendons move over bony joint areas. They reduce friction caused by muscles and […]