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Torticollis - Symptom

Alternative Names

Wry neck; Loxia

Symptoms:

Limited range of motion
Headache
Head tremor
Neck pain
Shoulder is higher on one side of the body
Stiffness of neck muscles
Swelling of the neck muscles (possibly present at birth)

Signs and tests:

Various tests or procedures may be done to rule out possible causes of head and neck pain. A physical examination will show a visible shortening of the neck muscles and the head will tilt toward the affected side while the chin points to the opposite side.

Torticollis (wry neck)

Reviewed last on: 5/27/2008
Sean O. Stitham, MD, private practice in Internal Medicine, Seattle, Washington; and Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Spiegel DA, Hosalkar HS, Dormans JP, Drommond DS. The Neck. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap. 679.

Marx J. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2002:606.

Persing J. Prevention and management of positional skull deformities in infants. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine, Section on Plastic Surgery and Section on Neurological Surgery. Pediatrics. 2003; 112(1 Pt 1): 199-202.

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