Torticollis in Newborns. Chiropractic Can Help!
Torticollis is a condition of the neck usually present in newborns. It is caused by a spasm of the neck muscle which creates a visual head tilt. It can happen due to the baby's position in the womb or after a difficult childbirth.
Birth Trauma
We hear about and see torticollis commonly in our office. The most frequent story we hear is that laboring during childbirth became "too long". In trying to speed up the process, doctors often administer pitocin, which is a drug that increases the intensity of contractions. Now imagine a baby is trying to travel down the body part of the pelvis, but there is not enough space yet. When the pitocin comes and increases the strength of contractions before an opening is ready, then baby's head gets jammed and pushed into the cervix. After hours of this, the baby will likely have strain or injury to the neck.
Another common way to injure the neck muscles is the use of forceps or vacuum suction during delivery. This is when labor stalls and baby needs to be pulled out forcefully. The pulling and twisting forces during birth will often injure the soft tissues.
Signs of Torticollis
- Visual head tilt (even after straightening it)
- Trouble breastfeeding on one side
- Prefers looking to only 1 direction
- Flat head on 1 side
- Contraction of the neck muscle (knot)
- Difficulty settling down or sleeping soundly
How to Correct It
First thing to do is see a pediatric specialist chiropractor. This is a specific method of care used by our chiropractors at Thrive Family Chiropractic. The most common root cause of these muscle spasms is a misaligned cervical spine. The first bone in the neck is frequently misaligned in newborns due to the reasons discussed above. This misalignment pulls on the neck muscles unevenly, causing symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments to newborns is very gentle and incredibly effective in relieving torticollis long term. It is incredibly rewarding to see babies get instant relief after adjustments! Here at Thrive Family Chiropractic, our doctors are specialize in pediatric care and use a safe and gentle method to adjust newborns.
What You Can Do at Home to Help After the Adjustment:
- When your baby wants to eat, offer the bottle or your breast in a way that encourages your baby to turn away from the contracted side.
- During play, draw your baby's attention with toys and sounds to make him or her turn in both directions.
- Practice tummy time! Position your baby so that his or her head is turned away from you. Then, talk or sing to your baby and encourage him or her to turn and face you. Practice this exercise for 10 to 15 minutes.

