Curvature of the neck, or torticollis, manifests itself by tilting the head with turning it to the side. This condition occurs due to pathology of the bones of the cervical spine, neuralgia or damage to soft tissues.
Distortion may be acquired or congenital. This condition is extremely dangerous, as it leads to deformations of the bones of the skull and disruption of the central nervous system. In other words, curvature of the spine of the neck is the cause of dementia, developmental delay, impaired memory, vision, hearing and other conditions. The treatment of the disease depends on the causes that caused it, the patient's age, his general condition and other factors.
Torticollis in children
Curvature of the neck in a child most often begins during fetal development.
The causes may include infectious diseases carried by the mother, the position of the child’s body in the uterus, or abnormalities in the pelvic bones of a pregnant woman. It happens that the curvature is the result of a chromosomal mutation. Types of Disease:
- Curvature of the neck of idiopathic origin. The name of the pathology itself suggests that the cause of its occurrence is unknown. True and the force of curvature is extremely small and the position of the head is not fixed. There is a hypothesis that such an effect is a consequence of the position of the body in the womb. However, this form can also be with a clear complication, for example, perinatal encephalopathy.
- If a child stiffened or shortened the sternocleidomastoid muscle during the formation process or shortened, then a myogenic torticollis may appear in it. The reason for this situation with the neck is usually a long position of the child across, that is, he pressed his head for a long time to the bones of the pelvis. With this pathology, the child’s head remains motionless, as the muscles tighten and cause pain when moving. In the future, he may have scoliosis of the spine, the skull bends, the eyes occupy different heights on it, and the brain is disturbed.
- Curvature of the neck in infants may result from underdevelopment of the cervical vertebrae or their fusion into one bone. This phenomenon is called osteogenic pathology. The head is set very low on the shoulders and loses the ability to turn. Usually, only pathology is not limited to the cervical spine; more often, the lumbar spine also loses mobility.
- With the neurogenic component of the pathology, not only the neck is turned to the side, but also half of the whole body (leg and arm bent) is skewed to one side. In general, the child can move, but at rest, the muscles take their usual position and the curvature returns.
- With arthrogenic crankshaft, a congenital defect of the cervical vertebra takes place, namely, its rotational dislocation.
Torticollis in adults
Curvature of the neck can occur at any age. It is caused, as a rule, by physical trauma. Such damage to the cervical vertebrae is also called acquired, because it can also occur in infancy, for example, on the first day of life as a result of a birth injury, for example, when strangling the umbilical cord. When a child grows up, he may become a victim of infection or the common cold, which also leads to curvature. Possible neck curvature in adults in the photo below.
The causes of curvature of the cervical vertebrae may lie in the following:
- The child gets installation wryneck with a long uncomfortable position of the head in the crib. Pathologies of soft tissues or bones in this case are not observed.
- Reflex curvature of the neck is the result of various pathologies, for example, otitis media or inflammation of the ear. They cause severe pain, which makes a person involuntarily bend his head in the direction of a sick ear. Also, involuntary curvature is caused by purulent abscesses on the neck with mastoiditis and other similar diseases.
- With compensatory neck curvature, the patient tries to turn the head to compensate for the lack of eyes, strabismus, and labyrinthitis (inner ear disease). This half-turn allows you to increase visibility or reduce dizziness.
- With traumatic neck damage, it is usually a fracture. This phenomenon is extremely painful for the patient. It causes pain not only the position of the head, but also an elementary attempt to touch in the injured area. Such an injury may not be accompanied by a fracture of the vertebrae, that is, be the result of a dislocation, but the symptoms remain the same: severe pain and inability to move.
- Several infectious diseases can lead to the traumatic phase at once: syphilis, osteomyelitis, bone tuberculosis. All this can easily lead to a fracture and curvature of the neck.
- Torticollis can be a consequence of myositis, muscle inflammation, as well as inflammatory processes in the lymph nodes of the neck, in its ligaments and soft tissues, chest and spine.
Pathology diagnostics
How to fix the curvature of the neck, the doctor decides only after an accurate diagnosis. One glance at the patient for the diagnosis is not enough, although the curvature looks quite characteristic. In order to understand why the child's neck is crooked, the doctor conducts a survey of the mother about how the pregnancy and childbirth proceeded. Whether there were any deviations in the analyzes for hormones. It also matters how the baby was born (already with a curvature or it came later). The patient must undergo examination by a neurologist.
For an accurate diagnosis, modern instrumental methods, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging are used. If this is not possible, then a method such as radiography is justified.
We should not forget that in case of concurrent diseases it will be necessary to consult with specialized specialists, for example, with strabismus you should visit an ophthalmologist, with syphilis - a venereologist, sometimes even a psychiatrist may be needed.
Pathology treatment
Treatment of neck curvature is the most diverse, the choice of method depends on the type and severity of the pathology. Sometimes conservative or physiotherapeutic treatment is enough, and sometimes it is impossible to do without surgery.
Physiotherapy refers to electrophoresis using various drugs (lidase, potassium iodide). Irradiation of the affected area of the neck with ultraviolet rays helps a lot. Most often, therapeutic massage is still used, especially for newborn patients.
The patient also takes a number of medicines with various effects. The treatment regimen includes painkillers, antibiotics, muscle relaxants or anticonvulsants.
Usually, treatment with these methods takes at least 6 months, provided that they are regular and correct.
If such treatment is ineffective or injury occurs, then a surgical operation is performed. It can affect muscles, ligaments, and even bones.
After the operation, the patient should wear a special cervical corset for some time, which keeps the cervical vertebrae in the correct position.
Therapeutic exercises and position
For young children, the most effective and painless treatment is gymnastics. It is useful not only for the neck, but also for the entire developing organism. To do it is simple, any person will cope with this matter after several classes with a physiotherapist.
To stretch the muscles of the neck, you need to put the baby on the table so that his head hangs over the edge. In no case should you let her out of your hands. It is necessary to very slowly and gradually lower your hands with the baby’s head to the edge of the table, and eventually over the edge. So the muscles gradually stretch without tears and injuries.
For the same purpose - muscle stretching, it is necessary to rotate the baby’s head in one position, then in one direction, then in the other direction. Muscle stretching can also be carried out in an upright position, holding the baby in his arms and holding his head.
Forecast
In general, the prognosis for neck curvature is positive. Timely therapy, even if it is a surgical operation, restores the cervical vertebrae and soft tissues in full. The only exception is Klippel-Feil syndrome, in which the bones of the cervical spine become a monolith.
Effects
If the neck curvature is left without timely treatment, then a person may experience dangerous conditions, sometimes incompatible with life.
In addition to a visually unaesthetic appearance, which in itself causes psychological trauma in a child, systemic disorders can occur. For example, a delay in mental development, impaired vision, hearing, pathology of the musculoskeletal system. And if the patient has tracheal constriction, then pulmonary failure and general oxygen starvation develops.
Prevention
To prevent congenital distortions of the neck, the expectant mother must follow preventive measures. She should definitely be observed by the district doctor throughout her pregnancy, take tests and undergo all the necessary procedures. In this case, it will be possible to diagnose the pathology at the very beginning and to easily cure it. During pregnancy, foods containing preservatives and dyes should not be eaten. Do not smoke or drink alcohol.
To prevent injuries that cause neck bending, it is necessary to observe safety precautions at work and in sports, and in case of injuries consult a doctor immediately.
Orthopedics
A separate topic of prevention is orthopedics. Not only the condition of the neck, but also the whole organism depends on how the head lies during sleep. Therefore, the pillow should not be rigid and not soft, the head should rise 5-7 cm above the mattress. For newborns, canvas bags with salt or buckwheat husk are great. Pillowcases should be made of fabric that easily absorbs sweat.
Conclusion
The curvature of the neck cannot be left without treatment, because the pathology is fraught with serious consequences, sometimes irreversible. At the first signs of the disease, you should immediately consult a doctor. In most cases, the prognosis is favorable.