What does a wry neck feel like?
Acute wry neck or torticollis can develop suddenly as severe stiffness and pain in the neck, with a spasm in the neck muscles. Torticollis is usually associated with newborn babies where they have been in a position with their head tilted for a prolonged period of time, either in the birth canal during labour and delivery or during breastfeeding or sleeping. However, in this blog we are going to only consider adult torticollis in this blog, also known as acute wry neck and discuss what a wry neck feels like. 

In adults wry neck originates in the cervical spine, either from the facet joints or the intervertebral disc present between the vertebra. The common features of both are inflammation and muscle spasm. Facet joints are present on either side of the spine and they allow for smooth gliding movements between the adjacent vertebra. These joints can get stiff from injuries or degenerative changes. However most commonly, they can get locked from being taken to their extreme range of motion. 
 
5 features of wry neck due to locked facet joint:
  1. Onset of pain is sudden and severe.
  2. Most patients will report having slept in the wrong position at night and woken up in the morning with the neck tilted to one side. 
  3. Neck is tilted towards the painful side due to the mechanical block of the locked facet.
  4. Sudden sharp shooting pain in the centre or side of the neck when trying to bring the head back to neutral. Pain may radiate up into the head.  
  5. Inability to move the neck in any direction without the sharp pain. This loss of range of movement is a distinguishing feature when compared to discogenic wry neck.
A similar condition can also be seen in the lumbar spine, where patients report getting ‘stuck’ into an exercise or yoga position and unable to come back to neutral. This also has the same features due to the locked lumbar facet, as described above but the symptoms are seen in the lumbar area, with stiffness in the low back and buttock.
 
Wry neck can also occur in the cervical spine due to the intervertebral disc. 
5 features of discogenic wry neck:
  1. Onset is gradual and the pain is dull and diffuse in nature.
  2. Neck is tilted away from the affected side. 
  3. Movements are not as limited as a locked facet. 
  4. Tingling numbness or pins and needles may radiate into the arms, shoulder, shoulder blades or the upper chest.
  5. Main feature is stiffness of the neck due to muscle spasm rather than loss of range of motion. 
Discogenic wry neck takes four to six weeks to treat while locked facets usually resolve in seven to ten days. However discogenic wry necks are not as common as wry neck due to locked facets. 
 
Learn how to manage your neck pain in the free training on "Simple Solutions to Manage Your Neck Pain" in my free community HERE
 
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MEET SWATI

 
Hi there! 
I am Swati, an Executive Mum Power Coach and a Certified Posture Expert. I use my proven system to help mums of younger kids working in high-stress executive jobs manage their back, neck, and nerve pains, despite low energy levels and brain fog. I do all this without taking away a big chunk of their time out of their already busy day. This enables them to be more productive and capable professionals at work and guilt-free mums who can focus on their kids instead of always being distracted by pain. 



My passion for helping executive mums stems from my own experiences. I have been in the same boat and understand the frustration and helplessness of being in constant pain or being afraid to engage in activities due to the fear of pain. After two pregnancies in the span of three years and juggling my two kids, housework, and a demanding job, I was constantly in pain. The weight gain from motherhood added extra stress to my already overburdened spine and joints. I was stuck in a vicious cycle of weight loss and spinal/nerve pain that I just couldn’t break free from.

On top of the physical pain, I also suffered from adrenal fatigue. I often felt exhausted, waking up groggy even after a full night’s (10 to 12 plus hours!) sleep, and struggled with low energy levels and brain fog. Simple tasks became challenging, and I found myself forgetting things and unable to think clearly. It was incredibly frustrating and made it even harder to balance my professional responsibilities and family life.

My work involved long hours of standing during the day, prolonged hours on the laptop in the evening, and lots of running around and rocking my kids to sleep in between. Despite my knowledge and expertise in pain relief, I still found myself unable to escape the constant daily pain and fatigue.

Sitting at a desk job from 9 to 5, or longer, plus endless meetings that seem to go on forever. The frequent traveling, the uncomfortable hotel pillows that make it impossible to get a good night’s sleep—I’ve experienced it all. I remember not being able to share my discomfort at work because I felt like an imposter, talking about pain relief strategies and focusing on work while I was not able to achieve it myself. I didn’t disclose the extent of my pain and forgetfulness to my colleagues for years. Even though I loved my kids and my job, I couldn’t give 100% to either. The discomfort held me back from reaching my full potential, making me feel guilty as a mum and less productive at work. I felt like I was constantly running on empty, unable to catch a break from the pain and exhaustion.

finally got fed up after years of trying and decided to make a New Year’s resolution to get ‘healthy’ instead of focusing solely on my pain, fatigue, forgetfulness, and weight loss. When I shifted my focus to getting healthier by reducing the inflammation in my body and addressing my adrenal fatigue, the pain started to decrease, my energy levels and focus improved, and the pounds started shedding off too! That, of course, meant a happier spine, nerves, joints, and a happier me! Today, my neck, back, and nerve pain are down to zero, my knee pain has reduced by 75%, my brain fog has reduced drastically and my energy levels are higher than ever. I realized that I had been focusing on the wrong solutions for over a decade!

Now, my mission is to share my knowledge of pain relief and managing adrenal fatigue along with my personal experience with other mums, especially those with younger kids who work in high-stress executive jobs. My goal is to help you find lasting relief, boost your energy, and reclaim your life, just as I did. 

If you can relate to all this, you are not alone. As a mum, I have been there and done that—momma, I got you! I’ve helped hundreds of mums in this situation over the years find their solution to manage spinal and joint pains, low energy levels, and brain fog that hold them back. This enables them to feel confidently in control and empowers them to cultivate that confidence and productivity at work and enjoy being with their kids, to be able to run around with them without the fear of injury or pain.

Are you ready for this journey? Ask me how if you are curious.

Let's DO THIS!
xx Swati
** Executive Mum Power Coach **

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