Have you ever woken up one morning with a very stiff and sore neck? Or have you ever gotten sudden neck pain after turning your neck one side? If so then there’s a good chance that it may be a condition called acute wry neck/torticollis.
Wry Neck Symptoms:
- Pain in the neck (usually one side)
- Neck stiffness
- Reduced neck range of motion
- Muscle spasms and tightness
- Neck/head fixated to the non-painful side
How does Wry Neck occur?
The three most common causes of wry neck that we hear from our patients are:
- Sleeping in an awkward position
- Suddenly waking up in the night
- Sudden quick movements of the neck
Theories on what causes this Pain in the Neck
There are a couple main theories on what structures may be responsible for causing the neck pain:
- Irritation of the facet joints in the neck which causes pain and neck muscle spasms
- Irritation or minor injury of the discs in the neck causing nerve irritation
How to treat Wry Neck
The good thing about wry neck is that it typically resolves in only 2-3 days! – sometimes a little faster, sometimes a little slower. However, there are few treatment options that can make you feel immediately better.
- Massage
- Neck mobilisations
- Dry needling
- Pain medications
- Gentle exercise/movement/stretching
- Heat pack
- Staying active and maintaining normal daily duties (within constraints of pain)
How to prevent Wry Neck?
For individuals that frequently suffer from acute wry neck, there are a few management options that should be considered:
- Neck and shoulder strengthening exercises
- Neck, thoracic spine and shoulder mobility exercises
- Neck, thoracic spine and shoulder stretching exercises
- Improving neck posture and avoiding prolonged postures
- Trying different sleeping positions and pillows
If you’re still suffering from Wry Neck, talk to our experienced clinicians by clicking the Book Appointment link on our page!
