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.
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.
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.
Monday 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 11:00am & 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Wednesday 2:00pm - 6:30pm
Thursday 8:00am - 11:00am & 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday CLOSED
Serving the communities of Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Westminster, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Newport Beach, Garden Grove, Santa Ana
Thrive Family Chiropractic
18141 Beach Blvd Ste 150, Huntington Beach, California 92648