Causes of Torticollis

List of causes of Torticollis

Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Torticollis) that could possibly cause Torticollis includes:

• Birth injury
• Neck scar tissue
• Severe neck burns
• Spasmodic Torticollis

Causes of Torticollis (Diseases Database):

The follow list shows some of the possible medical causes of Torticollis that are listed by the Diseases Database:

• Torticollis, spasmodic

Torticollis as a symptom:

Conditions listing Torticollis as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Torticollis. Our database lists the following as having Torticollis as a symptom of that condition:

• Aceruloplasminemia
• Anotia - facial palsy - cardiac defect
• Arnold-Chiari malformation type 3
• Aromatic amino acid decarboxylase deficiency
• Arthrogryposis - epileptic seizures - migrational brain disorder
• Basilar impression primary
• Carnevale-Krajewska-Fischetto syndrome
• Cervicooculoacoustic syndrome
• Chromosome 13q duplication syndrome
• Chromosome 6, monosomy 6q
• Chromosome 6q deletion syndrome
• Chromosome 9, trisomy 9q
• Chromosome 9q duplication
• Chromosome 9q duplication syndrome
• Congenital absence of the sternocleidomastoid muscle
• Contractures, congenital, torticollis and malignant hyperthermia
• Deletion 6q
• Dystonia 7, torsion
• Dystonia musculorum deforms 4
• Dystonia with cerebellar atrophy
• Emanuel syndrome
• Meige syndrome
• Microsomia - hemifacial - radial defects
• Multicore disease
• Myoclonic dystonia
• Ptosis strabismus diastasis
• Sandifer syndrome
• Scleroatonic muscular dystrophy
• Seven point syndrome
• Spinal cord neoplasm
• Spinocerebellar ataxia 17
• Torsion dystonia 7
• Vertigo, benign paroxysmal, in childhood
• Wildervanck syndrome

Related information on causes of Torticollis:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Torticollis may be found in:

• Hidden causes of Torticollis

Causes of Torticollis: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Torticollis.

Torticollis: Differential Diagnosis
(In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms)

• Congenital muscular torticollis
  –Most likely secondary to birth trauma
  –SCM muscle is stretched during delivery, a hematoma results, and the SCM muscle spasms in response
  –SCM muscle may become fibrotic
• Brachial nerve plexus injury
  –Also associated with birth trauma
• Benign paroxymal torticollis
  –Occurs in infants and young children
  –Abrupt onset with pallor and vomiting
  –May be a migraine variant
• Muscular spasm
  –May occur after prolonged exposure to a cold stimulus such as wind
  • Dystonic reaction
    –May be drug reaction to antipsychotics, metoclopramide, prochlorperazine, trimethobenzamide
    –May be part of a dysmotility syndrome such as myasthenia gravis or Huntington chorea
  • HEENT infection
    –May occur with cervical adenitis, otitis, or mastoiditis
    –Local pressure on the neighboring SCM muscle causes irritation and spasm of the muscle
  • Atlantoaxial subluxation
    –Associated with Down syndrome, achondroplasia
    –May be secondary to fracture, infection, or malignancy of the cervical spine
  • Post-upper respiratory infection
    –May occur in young children
    –Retropharyngeal edema displaces the atlantoaxial junction
    • Ocular torticollis
      –A compensatory mechanism enacted by patients with trochlear nerve palsy or superior oblique muscle weakness
      –Head positioning results in better alignment of the affected eye with the unaffected eye, and minimizes diplopia
    • GERD, hiatal hernia
      –May manifest as neck torsion (known as Sandifer syndrome)
    • Klippel-Feil syndrome

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms, 2007

Torticollis: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Torticollis may be congenital or acquired. The three types of acquired torticollis — acute, spasmodic, and hysterical — have differing causes. The acute form results from muscular damage caused by inflammatory diseases, such as myositis, lymphadenitis, or tuberculosis (TB); from cervical spinal injuries that produce scar tissue contracture; and, less commonly, from tumor or medication. The spasmodic form results from rhythmic muscle spasms caused by an organic central nervous system disorder (probably due to irritation of the nerve root by arthritis or osteomyelitis). Hysterical torticollis is due to a psychogenic inability to control neck muscles.

Acquired torticollis usually develops during the first 10 years of life or between ages 30 and 60. Incidence of congenital (muscular) torticollis is highest in infants after difficult delivery (breech presentation), in firstborn infants, and in girls. Possible causes of congenital torticollis include malposition of the head in utero, prenatal injury, fibroma, interruption of blood supply, or fibrotic rupture of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, with hematoma and scar formation.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Dystonia: Medical causes
(Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))

Alzheimer’s disease

Dystonia is a late sign of this disorder, which is marked by slowly progressive dementia. The patient typically displays decreased attention span, amnesia, agitation, an inability to carry out activities of daily living, dysarthria, and emotional lability.

Dystonia musculorum deformans

Prolonged, generalized dystonia is the hallmark of this disorder, which usually develops in childhood and worsens with age. Initially, it causes foot inversion, which is followed by growth retardation and scoliosis. Late signs include twisted, bizarre postures, limb contractures, and dysarthria.

Hallervorden-Spatz disease

This degenerative disease causes dystonic trunk movements accompanied by choreoathetosis, ataxia, myoclonus, and generalized rigidity. The patient also exhibits a progressive intellectual decline and dysarthria.

Huntington’s disease

Dystonic movements mark the preterminal stage of Huntington’s disease. Characterized by progressive intellectual decline, this disorder leads to dementia and emotional lability. The patient displays choreoathetosis accompanied by dysarthria, dysphagia, facial grimacing, and a wide-based, prancing gait.

Olivopontocerebellar atrophy

Ataxia, an early sign in this rare disorder, slowly progresses to dystonia. Other findings include dysarthria, action tremor, bradykinesia, and visual deterioration.

Parkinson’s disease

Dystonic spasms are common in this disease. Other classic features include uniform or jerky rigidity, pill-rolling tremor, bradykinesia, dysarthria, dysphagia, drooling, masklike facies, monotone voice, stooped posture, and a propulsive gait.

Pick’s disease

Dystonia appears as a late sign in this rare disorder, which resembles Alzheimer’s disease.

Supranuclear ophthalmoplegia

Also known as Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome, this rare disorder affects mainly middle-aged people, causing intermittent dystonia with extreme neck flexion or extension. Other signs and symptoms include impaired extraocular movement, diminished voice volume, dysarthria, truncal rigidity, dementia, ataxia, masklike facies, and dysphagia.

Wilson’s disease

Progressive dystonia and chorea of the arms and legs mark this disorder. Other common signs and symptoms include hoarseness, bradykinesia, behavior changes, dysphagia, drooling, dysarthria, tremors, and Kayser-Fleischer rings (rusty-brown rings at the periphery of the cornea).

Other causes

Drugs

Haloperidol, loxapine, and other antipsychotics usually produce acute facial dystonia, as do risperidone, metyrosine, antiemetic doses of metoclopramide, and excessive doses of levodopa.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition), 2006

Stiff Neck and Torticollis: Principal Causes of Neck Stiffness and Torticollis
(The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics)

1. Congenital
   1. Congenitalmuscular torticollis (fibromatosis colli)
   2. Skeletal anomalies
   3. Atlantoaxial instability
2. Infection/inflammation
   1. Upperrespiratory tract infection
   2. Pharyngitis/tonsillitis
   3. Cervical adenitis
   4. Myositis
   5. Meningitis
   6. Cervical spine osteomyelitis
   7. Spinal epidural abscess
   8. Discitis
   9. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
3. Trauma
   1. Muscle strain or contusion
   2. Cervical spine fracture, subluxation,and dislocation
4. Drugs
5. Neoplasm
   1. Brain tumor
   2. Cervical spine and spinal cord tumors
   3. Leukemia
6. Subarachnoid hemorrhage
7. Benign paroxysmal torticollis
8. Torticollis with gastroesophageal refluxand hiatal hernia (Sandifer syndrome)
9. Spasmus nutans
10. Ocular or vestibular disturbances
11. Psychogenic

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics, 2006