Spasmodic torticollis (neck muscle spasms)

Neck | Orthopaedics | Spasmodic torticollis (neck muscle spasms) (Disease)


Description

Cervical dystonia, also called spasmodic torticollis, is a painful condition in which your neck muscles contract involuntarily, causing your head to twist or turn to one side. Cervical dystonia can also cause your head to uncontrollably tilt forward or backward.

Early symptoms include a feeling of discomfort and stiffness in the neck, and head tilts to one side due to unilateral spastic contraction of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. This contraction more or less painful of neck muscles limits the rotational movement of the head. Sometimes it is associated with the contraction of muscles in the shoulder of the opposite or a muscle spasm can occur around the mouth. Pain is installed in the neck muscles and along the lines of the chest and back. Symptoms disappear during the sleep.

The congenital muscular torticollis, also called wryneck, is usually discovered in the first 6 to 8 weeks of life. The infant keeps his or her head tilted to one side and has difficulty turning the head to the opposite side.

Causes and Risk factors

The usual stiff neck occurs when a sudden movement and forced neck position after inadequate sleep. The ideal is, whether we sleep on your side or back, the pillow we sleep on to follow the neck axis. If problems are encountered cervical pillow consistency is required.

In most cases of cervical dystonia, doctors dont know why some people develop the disorder and others dont. Some cases, however, appear to be linked to: head, neck or shoulder injuries; certain drugs, notably specific antipsychotic or anti-nausea agents.

Diagnosis and Treatment

There are several treatments for spasmodic torticollis, the most commonly used being botulinum toxin injections in the dystonic muscle of the neck. Other treatments include sensory trick, oral medications, and deep brain stimulation. Combinations of these treatments have been used to control spasmodic torticollis. In addition, selective surgical denervation of nerves triggering muscle contractions may offer relief from spasms, pain, and limit damage to the spine as a result of torqued posture. ...