II. Definitions
- Torticollis
- Head and neck rotation due to sternocleidomastoid shortening
III. Signs
- Head laterally bent toward the shortened sternocleidomastoid Muscle
- Chin and neck rotated toward the opposite side
IV. Causes
- Nondynamic Torticollis (nonparoxysmal)
- Congenital Torticollis
- Osseous Torticollis
- Klippel-Feil Syndrome (short neck, low occipital hair line, fused Cervical Vertebrae)
- Vertebral or spinal lesions
- Hemivertebrae or blocked Vertebrae
- Atlantoaxial Rotary Fixation (C1 subluxation on C2)
- Neurologic
- Posterior fossa malignancy (e.g. cerebellar or Brain Stem neoplasm)
- Mass lesions
- Chiari Malformation
- Ocular
- Congenital Cataract
- Microphthalmia
- Non-muscular soft-tissue
- Dynamic Torticollis (paroxysmal)
- Benign paroxysmal Torticollis
- Spasmodic Torticollis (Cervical Dystonia)
- Sleep malposition
- Cervical Lymphadenitis (e.g. Strep Throat, Cat Scratch Disease, Tuberculosis)
- Local inflammation or Trauma
- Retropharyngeal Abscess or Peritonsillar Abscess
- Upper lobe Pneumonia
- Sandifer Syndrome
- Severe GERD or Esophagitis results in Torticollis, opisthotonus, irritability
- Medication reaction
- Neuroleptic induced Dystonic Reaction
- Increased Intracranial Pressure
- Conversion Disorder
V. References
- Jhun, Grock, Ebenezer in Herbert (2016) EM:Rap 16(7): 11-3
- Tomczak (2013) J Child Neurol 28(3):365-78 +PMID: 23271760 [PubMed]