Acute Juvenile Cervical Torticollis: Prevention [Discussion]

A common presentation of acute juvenile cervical torticollis (AJCT) in the chiropractor's office is a young patient experiencing a painful sternocleidomastoid (SCM) spasm of short duration which usually resolves rapidly after initiation of treatment. Cause of the spasm can be due to an atlantoaxial rotatory fixation (AARF), a potentially serious condition, or muscular and/or ligamentous etiology (1). Although AJCT is a condition that commonly presents in the office, information in the chiropractic and medical literature is grossly lacking. In addition there is a great deal of confusion as to the etiology, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment. For the purpose of this paper cervical dystonia, a poorly understood neurological condition will be excluded (2). All prevention and risk factors noted in this monograph have been assigned a "C" strength of recommendation since all are a result of consensus, practice tradition or very limited observational studies.