What is neck curvature (Torticollis) and how is it understood?
Torticollis literally means crooked neck and can develop due to many reasons. The most common neck curvature is "muscle-induced congenital neck curvature" (Congenital Muscular Torticollis), which is noticed at birth or seen after birth. The diagnosis is made easily. The Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle, a double-headed muscle located on the sides of the neck, is tight and short on one side. Usually, when the muscle is touched, a fibrotic swelling called olive is palpable. The head appears to be tilted to the side on the side where the muscle is tense, and the face is turned to face the opposite side. Restriction of movement is noticed when the neck is tried to be turned to the opposite side of the curvature or bent to the side.
Why does neck curvature occur?
Congenital neck curvature due to muscle, first time It was described by Cheselden in 1893. Since an intramuscular mass was also seen in the past, it was thought that the hematoma due to intramuscular bleeding was formed by transformation into connective tissue (fibrosis) and was triggered by the trauma of labor, especially in cases where the baby was breech, such as breech presentation. Since hip dislocation, clubfoot and some musculoskeletal system congenital deformities are especially common, genetic origins have been emphasized. However, although it is understood how it occurs today, it is still unknown why it occurs.
Are all neck curvatures seen in babies due to muscle origin?
No. First of all, when you see a child with a crooked neck, other organic causes must be ruled out. The most important of these is congenital separation and malformation of the cervical spine. Wedge-shaped half vertebrae are one of the most common cervical spine deformities and can lead to serious neck curvatures. Apart from this, glands (lymph adenopathy) that develop secondary to infections in the surrounding tissues of the neck and organs such as tonsils and ears may cause temporary neck curvature if they are painful. Additionally, neck curvatures may accompany psychiatric disorders of the type we call hysteroid.
What should parents of a baby with a crooked neck do?
You should definitely see an Orthopedist and Traumatologist. do not consult a specialist is. If it is noticed immediately after birth, it can be completely corrected by the mother's exercises until the 6th month. The baby's bed must be adjusted so that he can turn his neck in the opposite direction of the curvature. In this way, although some of the children do not tend to recover, satisfactory results can be achieved in the majority of them without the need for surgery. In this case, corrective surgery will need to be performed between the ages of 1-4.
What can happen if it is not treated?
When a human being is standing, the line drawn between the eyes is parallel to the ground. must. If the neck is crooked, secondary changes develop on the face. An asymmetry develops on the face that makes the eyes stand out. Even if surgical release is performed in children over the age of 7, this asymmetry does not return and is permanent. Additionally, compensatory curvatures develop in other parts of the spine. For this reason, if you have a baby with a neck curvature and you do not want to experience such problems in the future, we recommend that you immediately consult a doctor and start an exercise program to avoid the need for surgery.
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