What is Torticollis?
The word torticollis literally means “twisted neck”. There are typically two types of this condition – congenital, meaning present at birth, and acquired, meaning an incident or accident causes it. For some children, torticollis happens in the womb in the weeks before birth where the head and neck are positioned at an odd angle. Other children are born with the condition because of difficulties during delivery, a decreased blood supply to the neck muscles, muscular fibrosis or congenital spine anomalies. Even if a child is born with healthy head and neck positioning, infants sometimes develop torticollis when they spend too much time laying on their back, sitting in car seats, swings, bouncers, or strollers, or laying on play mats.
While the majority of people who experience torticollis are infants or children, anyone can experience the neck pain and limited range of motion associated with it. A muscle or nervous system injury can suddenly make it difficult to straighten your neck or position your head properly. This type of injury may be associated with car accidents, extended illnesses or other trauma.