Relationship Between Torticollis And Stress: Learn To Treat It

Have you ever suffered from that stiff neck caused by torticollis ? While it is true that it is a very common ailment, suffering from it causes many problems. It even goes to the extreme of often being a reason for sick leave.

We cannot turn our heads and, when we try, dizziness and even some anxiety or even nausea may appear. There is nothing we can do until the inflammation subsides, so the most common is to spend a few days resting on pain relievers.

Now, the best way to prevent it from happening again is to prevent its appearance. And that is why it is interesting to know that most of the processes associated with torticollis are due to stress. We invite you to learn more about this information and, in turn, to discover how we can treat torticollis so that it disappears as soon as possible.

The relationship between torticollis and stress

Doctors tell us that torticollis usually has two origins:

Hereditary or etiological

A poor position of the fetus, intrauterine pressure during pregnancy, or even inheriting certain abnormalities in the neck muscles from our parents can determine this problem.

Acquired

It is the most common cause. It has to do with bad posture, with an accident or injury and, especially, with fatigue and stress problems.

When we are subjected to stressful situations for long periods of time, not only changes occur at the metabolic and hormonal level. Our muscular structures also tend to overload.

In most cases, many of us do not have very exercised neck, shoulder and back muscles. They are not very elastic nor are they used to experiencing tension in such a persistent way.

Muscles such as the trapezius and others of the neck are usually very weak if we are not used to using them. Therefore, stress tends to focus on these more sensitive areas.

The stiffness produced and the overload end up inflaming nerves, muscles and all those complex structures that radiate from the shoulders to the head.

According to many specialized physiotherapists and doctors, there are people who express stress in muscle pain, and especially in neck pain and torticollis. All the nerves and that emotional charge is concentrated in this part of our body.

The best treatments for torticollis

1. A time of rest

You need time for yourself. The stiff neck you have now is a warning that you should take into account to start making some changes in your life and learn to set priorities.

It will take between a week and 10 days for the torticollis to disappear and you will have functionality in the neck again. To do this, you need to slow down and rest.

• Don’t strain your neck.
• Maintain harmonious movement in the neck-shoulders-head relationship Do not make sudden movements and, when you have to turn, accompany the whole body and not just the neck.

2. Cold-heat treatment

Cold-heat treatment is one of the most basic and essential techniques to reduce muscle inflammation problems. To do this, you must do the following:

What I need?

• A linen cloth
• 500 ml of water
• Rosemary essential oil 
• A bag of ice cubes or a specific bag for these treatments

How do i do it?

• You should do this simple treatment 3 times a day. To do this, the first thing we will do is bring those 500 ml of water to a boil. When it is hot, allow it to rest as necessary so that it does not burn us and we can use it without hurting ourselves.
• The usual thing is to alternate the cold pack with the hot cloth every 5 minutes. To do this, apply the ice pack first.

• Then, dip the washcloth in hot water, wring it out, add a few drops of rosemary essential oil, and apply it to your neck.
• These treatments should last between 20 and 25 minutes, and do them, as we say, 3 times a day.

3. Follow the guidelines of the specialists

Sometimes we are a little reluctant to follow the recommendations of the doctors, or even more, we avoid going to the specialists. It is always appropriate to have their advice, especially if we are forced to take painkillers or pain relievers.

Avoid self-medicating  and follow the guidelines that they prescribe.

4. Gentle exercises as the days go by

• It will be your body that will tell you how torticollis progresses. The first days you should rest and do not exercise too much cervical movement.

• As you feel less tension, it will be time to promote a little movement through harmonic exercises. 
• Twist your neck gently from left to right. What the pain allows and through very gentle movements.
• Avoid first of all moving your neck backwards as this exacerbates the problem. Always in a delicate way.
• Accompany these movements with gentle massages with your hands, always in a circular way, wherever the pain is located.

As the days go by, this suffering and the torticollis will lessen.

Neck pain is one of the most annoying in the body. In addition to preventing you from moving normally, it can cause headaches and tension in other muscles. Therefore, you have to find its cause as soon as possible. If it is due to stress, it is convenient that you put yourself in the hands of a specialist.