By Dean Baldwin, Remedial Massage Therapist
Pain in the neck? Wry neck!
Welcome to the Wry Neck Blog!
In this blog we will go through what the condition Wry Neck entails and what you could do to fix it! So let's get started...
What is Wry Neck?
Wry Neck can sometimes be referred to as “Torticollis.” It is a neck condition that involves the muscles and nerves being damaged, stiff or painful. The muscles that surround the neck spasm, causing pain and limiting a person's range of motion (movement). With a wry neck, it is common to find the top of the head tilting to one side and the chin moving out to the opposite side.
Wry Neck is a very common condition and can be quite debilitating for its sufferers. People with this issue find it can be severely painful and any movement of the neck can be extremely difficult to deal with. On a positive note, treatment for Wry neck can be very effective, with short turn around times to overcome it.
Wry Neck Causes
While the exact cause for this condition is unknown, some contributing factors may include:
-
Genetically inherited or complication at birth
-
Neck injury
-
Poor neck support while sleeping or sitting
-
Inflammation or stiffness of soft tissues in the neck (eg. facet joints in between vertebrae, ligaments, muscle and tendons)
-
Poor posture
-
Neurological problems
Treatment and Self Care for Wry Neck
Massage therapy is a great treatment option and is very effective in removing this unwanted discomfort. A physical examination would be required to identify what tissues are affected through range of motion testing and palpation (touching the muscles or joints).
Following the testing, specific treatment modalities would be used such as trigger point therapy and gentle stretching to relax and soothe soft tissue tension. For this type of condition, a 45 minute treatment time would be recommended to relieve any symptoms.
Here are some useful self care tips to assist with your wry neck:
-
Self massage to the neck
-
Use of a heat pack on the affected area
-
Taking regular breaks from a seated position or reassessing your seated posture
-
Regular exercise
-
Gentle neck stretches
If you are experiencing any symptoms of Wry Neck, feel free to book a remedial massage appointment on the website or call our reception team on 03 9498 0205. We would be happy to assist you to achieve a pain-free life.
Thank you and be well
How can we help you?
At Melbourne Sports Physiotherapy our goal is to get you moving pain free as soon as possible.
But, we also want you to actually move better and live a healthier, more active and fulfilling life!
If your sports, fitness training or work has been wearing your body down, book in with one of our expert massage therapists so we can help you reduce your pain or stiffness.
If you are showing some signs of this condition or simply want help prevent this from happening in the future then book in with one of our highly experienced Remedial Massage Therapists today!
You can make an appointment by calling 03 9498 0205 or booking online.
BOOK ONLINE NOW TO FIX YOUR PAIN