Spastic torticollis is caused by paroxysmal involuntary contraction of the neck muscles, which leads to backward twisting or clonic tilt of the head. This disease can exist alone, belongs to the central basal ganglia lesion, and can also be a part of torsion spasm or hand-foot peristalsis. Some are hysterical torticollis, and some are caused by local stimulation (cervicitis, cervical bone injury or arthritis, adjacent infected lesions).
Spastic torticollis can occur at any age, but adults are the most common. A slow attack (a sudden attack of hysteria). Both the deep and superficial muscles of the neck can be involved, but the contraction of sternocleidomastoid muscle, trapezius muscle and splint muscle is the most prone to symptoms. When one sternocleidomastoid muscle contracts, the head rotates to the opposite side and the neck flexes to the contracting muscle side. When two sternocleidomastoid muscles contract at the same time, the head bends forward, which is called "neck forward". When trapezius muscle and splint muscle contract at the same time, the head stretches backward, which is called "neck backward". The contraction of neck muscles is mostly clonic. The affected muscles will be enlarged.
Spastic torticollis is often ignored because of its mild symptoms in the early stage, but when the symptoms are serious in the future, it will take great efforts to move the twisted head back to its original position.
The diagnosis of spastic torticollis is very easy, but it is necessary to distinguish whether it is central, hysterical or local. The sudden onset of hysteria patients must have mental factors, suggesting that the treatment is effective. Local lesions are found in those caused by local causes, and the other two are caused by central lesions.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that excessive pathogenic factors enter the yang, the ying and Wei are out of balance, the menstruation and qi are unfavorable, the movement of body fluid is blocked, and the tendons and veins are out of nutrition, so the syndrome of strong spasm is seen. Its treatment should be to dredge meridians and reconcile camp and health.