Torticollis in Adults

Torticollis in Adults

You need your neck muscles working properly in order to be able to move it in all its directions. The neck muscles are connected to the bones through tendon insertions. If you overexert your neck or injure it, you can do damage to your muscles and this can result in a decreased range of motion about the neck. This is known as torticollis. Torticollis can affect people of all ages. You can even get torticollis in adults.

What Is Torticollis in Adults?
Torticollis happens when the neck is tilted to one side. On one side of the neck, the muscles are really tight. On the other side, they are really weak. The main muscle affected is the sternocleidomastoid muscle that runs along the back and side of the neck. There are many types of torticollis. When it occurs in adults, the condition is called spasmodic torticollis. Spasmodic torticollis and cervical dystonia (which is a neurological problem believed to stem from the basal ganglia in the brain) can be caused by the following problems:

• ŸTrauma to the neck or spine. If you traumatize your neck, you can get torticollis. This can mean an injury to the neck or spine muscles, leading to spasm of the muscles so that the neck twists to one side.


• ŸInfections of the neck or head. An infection inside the neck or head can lead to torticollis in adults. The infections settle into the lymph nodes of the neck, causing the overlying muscles to become contractile. You can also get torticollis if you have an Abscess of the upper airway or throat. These can be life-threatening conditions. Other possible infections include Ear Infections, mastoiditis, Sinus Infections, tooth infections, scalp infections, and jaw infections.


• ŸMedications. There are medications that can cause torticollis that happens toadults. These include cocaine, amphetamines, and ketamine. Even the neuroleptic medications like Compazine, Haldol, and Thorazine can result in torticollis or acute dystonia of the neck and head. When this happens, there is the sudden onset of involuntary contractions of the neck, back, or face.


• ŸRare causes. In rare circumstances, torticollis that happens in adults can be due to Arthritis, scar tissue, or Tumors of the neck. Vascular problems may also result in torticollis.

Common risk factors for torticollis to adults includes having a family history of torticollis, certain birth defects involving the cervical spine, trauma to the neck, and a predisposition to muscular spasm as a result of taking certain medications.

What Are the Symptoms of Torticollis in Adults?
Initially, the symptoms of torticollis can be very minimal. Some people notice an invisible tremor of their head for a couple of months. The head may then turn or be pulled to one side. The head can also be stuck in one position. The symptoms can be worsened by Stress or excessive walking. Other symptoms you might notice include neck pain, muscle hypertrophy, tremor, and dysarthria. Studies have reported 75 percent incidence of neck pain and 33-44 percent of people will notice a head tremor.

The head can be jerked into many different directions when you have spasmodic torticollis. The directions the head can twist in include the following:

• The ear can be pulled toward the shoulder


• The chin can be pulled toward the shoulder


• The chin can be pointed straight up in a forward direction


• The chin can be pointed straight down in a forward direction

How to Treat Torticollis in Adults
1. Medications
Certain medications can relieve torticollis. These include medications used to treat the tremor associated with having Parkinson's disease. These medications have other side effects, such as memory difficulties, Constipation, blurred vision, decreased urinary stream, or dry mouth. Muscle relaxants can also be used to relieve the tilting of the head, but they can also cause poor balance, cognitive difficulties, and sedation. Some of these include diazepam, lorazepam, clonazepam, and baclofen. Certain pain medications can help relieve the symptoms as well. You can use over the counter medications for pain or even prescription painkillers.

2. Botulinum Toxin
This is a medication that can paralyze the muscles. They are often used for wrinkling of the face but can be injected into the neck muscles to relieve muscle spasm. The most commonly used botulinum toxin is called Botox but Xeomin, Dysport, and Myobloc. This helps most people with torticollis, but it lasts only about 3-4 months before you need another injection.

3. Therapy
Certain physical therapy exercises can help torticollis. These include using a neck brace for comfort, doing exercises that maximize flexibility and neck muscle strength, and anything that can help reduce your stress levels.

You can watch the video below to learn some exercises.

4. Procedures
If the less invasive therapies don't work, surgery may be recommended. These include procedure that cuts the nerves or muscles in the neck that cause the abnormal posture. The procedure is called selective denervation and it isn't used very often. Deep brain stimulation can also be done. This involves guiding a thin wire into the brain via a small hole within the skull. The wire is put into the part of the brain controlling movement. Then electrical impulses are sent via the wire to interrupt the signals in the brain that cause the head to twist. This is reserved for serious cases of torticollis.

5. Home Care
While torticollis cannot be cured, there are some things you can do at home to take care of it. These include lessening your stress level because stress will make the torticollis worse. Heat can also be applied to the neck to lessen the spasm of the neck muscles. You can use heating packs or a heating pad. There are also some tricks you can do. For instance, touching the opposite side of the face or the back of the head can temporarily relieve the spasms. A majority of the time, the acute torticollis goes away within a few weeks. A few people will not get immediate relief and will suffer from neck pain and torticollis for many years.

Torticollis

Torticollis






Torticollis is the condition of twisting of muscles on the neck in excess. In this position, the neck appears twisted to one side making your head to tilt on sideward. It may occur due to hereditary factor or any accidental injury or trauma caused to the neck muscles. It can also develop due to nervous disorder making it difficult for the person to move his head.

Spasmodic torticollis is the name given to the twisting of neck muscles due to genetic factor. Initially the child will be normal and when he/she attains adulthood, slowly neck twisting takes place. If not given proper treatment, it may become permanent disorder for the affected person.

Acute torticollis is the twisting of neck excessively. The head will be in slanted position and it hurts the person lot to move his head even little.

Causes :

Several factors are involved in causing acute torticollis. Any accidental injury on the spine region or neck can give rise to this condition. It would gradually create spasm of neck muscles causing twisting of neck. Any serious infection on the neck region or head can cause inflammation. It would affect the lymph nodes of the neck and would cause swelling of glands. Torticollis is formed when the underlying muscles are constricted due to infection or inflammation.

For some people chronic Sinusitis can cause infection on the ears, jaw and scalp giving rise to twisting of neck muscles. Certain medications like ketamine and cocaine can cause adverse effect. Similarly a person who takes chloropromazine or haloperidol is prone to develop twisting of neck muscles or head muscles and even back.

Lastly, you can get this disorder by birth due to genetic abnormalities (inherited).

Symptoms :

It causes abnormal contraction of neck muscles resulting in turning of head to one side. The muscular portions between the shoulder and neck will become brittle and stressed leading to constriction. It is very difficult for affected person to turn their head swiftly and only with great discomfort they can change position of their head.

Some of the other signs of torticollis are Headache, cramps in the neck, back pain and rigidity of the muscles.

Diagnoses :

The doctor will conduct detailed examination of the patient taking his family history and health condition. Routine X-ray of the neck will help in diagnosing the position correctly.

In acute torticollis CT scan or MRI scan is required.

Pictures of Torticollis :

Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Torticollis

Treatment :

The purpose of treatment is to relax the twisted muscles of the neck. Various types of treatments include medications, botox injection, physiotherapy and surgery.

In many people, the affected muscles can be brought to normal position within few days or weeks. For severe cases, it may take months together to get resolved.

Firstly your doctor will find the underlying cause for this disorder. Then he would prescribe medications for relieving the symptoms. Benzotropine or Benadryl are given either orally or through intravenous injection. He would also include Ativan and valium to relax the muscle stiffness. Depending on the intensity of the disorder, medicines are repeated until the symptoms completely disappear.

In addition cold therapy is given in the form of ice packs daily. Physiotherapy is to be done for stretching the muscles firmly. For some patients, Botox injection is given for relieving the muscle contraction.

In rare cases, surgical procedure is done for correcting the nerves of the neck preventing muscle contraction.

Torticollis – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Torticollis – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

What is Torticollis?

This is a condition also referred to as cervical dystonia and also known as spasmodic torticollis or just torticollis. This is a condition which is painful and is caused by the neck muscles involuntarily contract, causing the head to twist one side to the other. It can also cause the head to uncontrollably tilt backward and forwards.

Torticollis is a disorder which is rare and can develop at any age, even at infancy but it most often develops in women who are middle-aged. The symptoms begin gradually and reach a point where they do not get any worse.

Torticollis has no cure but the disorder often resolves on its own. Botulin toxin injected into the muscles which are affected can often reduce the symptoms and signs of torticollis. Surgery can be necessary but this is very rare.

Torticollis Symptoms

Twisted neck
The contractions of the muscle involved in torticollis will cause the head to twist in an assortment of directions, which include:

• Chin toward shoulder


• Chin straight up


• Ear toward shoulder


• Chin straight down

The most frequent sort of twisting linked with torticollis is the chin being pulled towards the shoulder. Some individuals experience a mixture of head postures which are atypical. Jerking motion of the head can also occur.

Pain
Approximately 2/3 of individuals who have torticollis also will experience pain in the neck which radiates into the shoulders. This disorder can also cause Headaches which are severe. In many individuals, the pain from torticollis can be disabling as well as exhausting.

Tremor
Torticollis can also cause tremors in the hand or arm.

Shoulder elevation
This disorder can also cause the shoulder on the affected side to pull up towards the ear.

Since torticollis is caused by unusual contractions of the muscles on one side of the neck, individuals may appear with the head turned to one side. The muscles of the neck as well as those amid the shoulder and neck will be tender and tense.

Individuals with torticollis will customarily be reluctant to turn their head to one side and may have their head turned somewhat away from the side of the uneasiness.

If any of the following symptoms occur, the individual should see their physician immediately as they suggest irritation or injury to the central nervous system:

• Trouble swallowing or breathing


• Pins and needles feeling or numbness in arms or legs


• Urinary or fecal incontinence, urinary hesitancy


• Weakness in legs or arms


• Impaired speech


• Difficulty walking

Torticollis Causes

Scientists believe that the symptoms of signs or torticollis can result from a problem in the brain’s ability to manage chemical messages which allow the cells of the brain to communicate with each other.

In many cases of this disorder, physicians do not know why some individuals develop the disorder and others do not. In some cases, it appears to be linked to:

• Shoulder, neck or head injuries


• Strokes


• Brain or spinal cord tumors


• Drugs such as antipsychotic, anti-nausea as well as antidepressant agents


• Toxins, such as carbon monoxide and heavy metals

Risk factors for torticollis include:

Age
While this disorder can occur at any age, even infants, it most commonly begins between the ages of 40 and 60.

You're reading Torticollis – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment posted by minhhai2d, the information is for reference only.

Sex
Women as nearly twice as likely as men to develop torticollis.

Family history
If a close member of the family has torticollis or any other movement disorder, an individual is at a risk of developing the disorder.

Torticollis can lead to:

Nerve damage
The sustaining of contractions of the muscle linked with torticollis can cause permanent injury to the compressed nerves. The symptoms include numbness, tingling as well as pain.

Other parts of the body involvement
In some individuals who begin with Torticollis, it eventually can develop similar symptoms in the arm, trunk, jaw, or face.

Depression
The pain and disability that may be caused by torticollis may cause depression in the individual.

Torticollis Treatment

The treatment for torticollis is aimed at relaxation of the contracted muscles of the neck which are involved. These treatments can include drugs, physical devices, botulin toxin, as well as surgery. In many individuals, torticollis will resolve by itself in several days to a few weeks. In a few individuals, continuing problems with the neck may continue for months even years. If these neck muscle spasms persist the doctor may refer the individual to a neurologist or surgeon.

Torticollis Medications

If the torticollis was caused by trauma or by drugs, the primary care physician may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications as well as muscle relaxants. These medications normally relieve the symptoms within a couple of days. Common medications used to treat acute, torticollis which is spasmodic include:

• Benztropine (Cogentin)


• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

These medications are normally given into the muscle or by IV. The physician may add oral relaxants or benzodiazepine such as:

• Ativan


• Valium

These medications are continued in oral form for 48 to 72 hours to avoid any symptoms to recur. Massage therapy and ice packs may also be used for relief as needed.

If the individual has neck muscle spasms which are chronic, a neurologist can give local injections of botulinum A toxin. This toxin comes from Clostridium botulinumbacteria.

This toxin acts locally to prevent the muscle from contracting in those where it is injected. This toxin usually can stop torticollis from getting worse and can even lead to complete recovery.

Torticollis Surgery

Surgery is frequently reserved for only a very few worse cases. With this treatment, some of the nerves in the upper neck are selected to be separated in order to prevent muscle contraction. This treatment normally helps but sometimes the neck will return to its twisted position after a number of months.

Torticollis Pictures