Dealing With Neck Spasms? How Chiropractors Can Correct Torticollis
If you are dealing with neck spasms as well as pain or limited range of motion, you should visit your doctor to check for acquired torticollis. Acquired torticollis is a condition where the neck muscles contract and twist the neck to one side. This condition is often caused by irritated cervical ligaments from an injury, poor sleep position, viral infection, or whiplash motions.
While torticollis can resolve on its own, some people may need interventions like Botox or even surgery to correct the issue. If you've been diagnosed with torticollis and your symptoms aren't improving, you may want to visit a chiropractor for help. Here are just a few chiropractic services that could help you correct this problem and reduce your neck pain.
Splints
A chiropractor can measure the distance from the top of your shoulder to your forehead to fit you with a specialized neck brace. Neck braces can be beneficial for patients with torticollis since they stabilize irritated ligaments. They also provide a passive stretch to restore your muscles' range of motion of overtight/shortened muscles. When you are starting to feel a bit better, your chiropractor can swap out a brace to kinesio tape, which is special tape that provides support, but it allows you to have increased mobility.
Adjustments
Because torticollis causes neck spasms, you may be holding your head in an awkward position to avoid further pain. This compensatory behavior may inadvertently be placing additional stress on vertebrae and cause nerve impingement. Your chiropractor can perform manual adjustments — or adjustments with activator instruments — to correct these misalignments. One study even found that the use of an activator instrument, along with myofascial release and home stretching, could help patients improve their pain and range of motion in only one or two visits.
Ultrasound Therapy
A chiropractor can use an ultrasound device to help your muscles relax before an adjustment. Ultrasound devices generate sound waves that penetrate and warm soft tissues. This type of heat therapy can stimulate blood flow, which can increase healing processes and the delivery of nutrients to the area. If your torticollis was caused by an injury, you may have scar tissue that is hindering your recovery. Ultrasound therapy can help break up scar tissue and improve range of motion. Some people may be worried that ultrasound therapy will be painful, but you should only feel a warm, tingling sensation in the area being worked on. If an area of your neck is very tight, you may feel some soreness and slight discomfort as you might with a deep tissue massage.
Reach out to a chiropractor today for more information on neck pain treatments that could help acquired torticollis.