The Intuitive Touch
By James Borque Starr
October 3, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Torticollis: a new “twist” in neck pain

Have you ever awakened from a decent night’s rest but when you tried to get out of bed you had such a stiff neck that you could not even turn your head? Welcome to the world of torticollis, derived from the Latin tort, meaning twisted, and collis, meaning cervical or neck. 

Usually, twisted neck syndrome can be traced back to an injury such as a car accident, fall, sports injury or even a lifting injury that involved the neck and upper back muscles. Whatever the origin, the neck pain can come as a surprise. Some people go for a long time witout pain and then for some reason it returns. 

Torticollis usually involves just one side of the neck muscles. A person may be able to turn better to one side, sometimes completely without pain, but turning in the opposite direction is nearly impossible. In addition to pain, the person may experience numbness or tingling down the arm of the affected side. This is due to the pinching of the bundle of nerves called the brachial plexus that travels down the arm and hand from the neck. Headaches that begin in the back of the head often accompany these neck problems due to pinching of the sub-occipital nerves that begin at the base of the skull and travel upward from the back of the head. Dizziness and light-headedness can also accompany torticollis. The upper part of the neck has many sensitive nerves that control so many areas of the head and neck that many other symptoms can be associated as well.

Many doctors choose to treat this condition with muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory drugs, but the results are often slow and temporary. The muscles that go into spasm almost certainly will pull the neck vertebrae out of position and create a vicious cycle of pinched nerves and more muscle spasms. A chiropractor is trained to detect which vertebrae are misaligned and will gently adjust them back into position, relaxing the muscle and taking pressure off the nerves. Usually, the response to the chiropractic adjustment is rapid and long-lasting. Chronic conditions of torticollis may take several months to correct. 

It is important that your doctor examine your condition thoroughly before determining which plan of treatment is best for you. Each case is different. Acupuncture, massage therapy, physical therapy modalities such as TENS and even ultrasound may help with the acute symptoms of torticollis.



The metaphysical/intuitive connection

The inability to turn the head and face to one side is a classic sign of “not wanting to face or confront” a certain person or challenge in life. Who or what is it in your life that you don´t want to look at? Who is it that you don´t want to confront? In the chakra energetic system, the neck region represents the center of communication, of speaking one’s own truth, and of voicing one’s opinion.

Joanne’s story: When Joanne entered my office for a consultation, she could not turn her head to the left side more than 10 degrees. With each attempt to turn she experienced a sharp pain that sent jolts to her chest area. She described her left arm as “going weak when I try to hold on to even a coffee cup.” I asked her what it was that she wanted to hold onto but didn’t want to look at, and she was rather upset with my question. After several minutes of deep introspection, she began to cry and explained how her husband had been cheating on her and she didn’t want to face the reality. She felt like she couldn´t hold on to him. It was no surprise that Joanne could not turn and look to the left, which is the emotional side representing the heart and sentiments.

These are what I call the powerful messages of the body. Some people call it the mind/body connection. 

Michael’s story: When Michael woke up unable to turn to the right, he knew he would not be able to work at the construction site that day. He wasn’t so upset with the idea of not working that day because he was about to fire one of his crew members who had been stealing from him on the job site. Michael is not a very confrontational type of person, so this neck problem really helped him avoid confronting the employee that day. The inability to turn to the right refers to the metaphysical connection of confronting challenges in business, financial or analytical matters. Along with his chiropractic adjustments for his neck problem, we spoke candidly about the benefits of confronting his employee. Michael acknowledged the emotional connection to his inability to look to the right, and within two days, after dismissing his problem employee, his neck pain was remarkably better. 

The term metaphysical simply refers to the fact that there is more beyond just the physical. I am not ignoring the physical aspects of torticollis. I am also not ignoring the emotional and spiritual components of the lesson that the “stiff neck” is teaching us. The more that we understand the “why” behind the reason we are having our life experiences (to teach us how to be better people), the more we will grow as human beings. If you are suffering from neck pain, headaches, stiffness or even numbness in the arms and hands, an examination from a qualified health practitioner is strongly recommended.

James Bourque Starr, D.C., is a practicing chiropractor here in La Lejona at the Centro Holístico y Quiropráctico, Vicente Araiza 12. Reach him at 152-1761 or drjimstar@tuserinterior.com.