Chronic Torticollis Resolved with Chiropractic

The Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic published the results of a case study on April 29, 2024, that documented the resolution with chiropractic care of a patient suffering from chronic torticollis. According to the Orthopedic Dictionary, torticollis, which can be either congenital or acquired, is defined as "a stiff neck or wry neck, caused by spasmodic contractions of neck muscle drawing the head to one side with the chin pointing to the other side. Most often involving the sternocleidomastoid muscle unilaterally."

In this case, a 23-year-old woman sought out chiropractic care for the torticollis she had been suffering with since birth. Her history revealed that she was born after 12 hours of labor that stalled and resulted in a caesarian operation. The result of this birth was trauma and a neck that was drawn to one side. As a result, she was then diagnosed with torticollis from birth trauma.

As the girl grew up, she was taken to many doctors for her condition. The standard recommendations she was given were to stretch the affected muscles. The study notes that she was very diligent in following her recommendations and followed all care. However, none of the medical care and recommendations caused any overall changes in her condition.

The study reports that the girl and her mother "spared no efforts" to resolve the girl's birth-related injuries. Over the 20-year period, and before seeking chiropractic, the girl had been taken to over 30 providers who could not help her.

On the girl's first visit to the chiropractor, she received an examination and care was started. The study reports that she "…immediately demonstrated full range of motion to the left, chin over left shoulder." The study author noted, "The patient had immediate relief of her chief complaint after the first intervention. There was no return of limited cervical ROM and no head tilt."

Chiropractic care was continued and helped address the additional symptoms she was experiencing, like headaches, due to the long-term nature of her torticollis. The chiropractic care she received had a profound effect on her life from that point forward. The study notes her life changed by reporting, "Now she is in graduate school with a backpack and a grueling study schedule. She is no longer plagued by headaches or restricted ROM."