Stiff neck (wry neck) in Málaga: what we look at, in English

You wake up, try to turn your head and your neck will not go: it is stuck to one side and every movement pulls. That is a wry neck, or acute torticollis. If you live in Málaga or are here for a while and would rather explain it in English, this page tells you what we look at, what you can do in the meantime and, above all, when it is not for us but for a doctor.

What a stiff, locked neck usually is

The word torticollis describes what you see: the neck twisted, the head tilted or turned to one side, and very little movement towards the other. In adults, the most common form is acute torticollis: it comes on suddenly, often on waking or after an awkward movement, and what lies behind it is usually mechanical: a joint in the neck that has locked and muscles that tighten to protect it.

It usually settles within a few days, sometimes a week or two. But while it lasts it gets in the way of everything: driving, working at a screen, sleeping. And for some people it keeps coming back.

What people usually notice

What we hear most often: not being able to turn your head to one side and having to turn your whole body to look; pain focused on one spot in the neck or between the neck and the shoulder blade; the trapezius on that side as hard as a rock; and the feeling that if you push it, something will catch.

The stories are very similar: sleeping in a bad position or face down, a draught after sweating, an awkward twist while lifting something, or several days of stress and long hours at a screen before it starts.

Not every twisted neck is the same

In babies and children, see the paediatrician first. In childhood, torticollis is a symptom with many possible causes, and some need prompt medical assessment. It is not the adult who wakes up with a locked neck.

Spasmodic torticollis is something else. If your neck twists on its own, without you deciding it, persistently, with jerks or a head tremor, it may be cervical dystonia, a neurological condition. That is diagnosed and managed by a neurologist.

After a blow, a fall or an accident, the neck needs a medical assessment first. If it was a car accident, we have a page on whiplash.

What we do not do

We do not force a locked neck. If movement hurts too much, we use gentler techniques or wait for the muscle to relax.

We do not diagnose neurological disease and we do not treat cervical dystonia.

We do not replace tests your doctor has ordered, and we do not change your medication.

What we do look at

• Acute wry neck in adults: a neck locked to one side after sleeping badly or an awkward movement.
• Wry neck that keeps coming back every few months, to find out what is setting it off.
• Tight trapezius and the muscles that join the neck to the shoulder blade.
• Neck pain and stiffness that linger once the wry neck has gone.
• Headaches that start at the back of the neck and come with a tight neck.
• Posture at work and in bed: screen, phone, pillow.

In the meantime, at home

Keep moving within what the pain allows. Keeping the neck completely still tends to make the stiffness last longer. Small, slow movements, without pushing to the limit, several times a day.

Local heat for a few minutes on the tight area helps many people relax the muscle.

A neck collar only if your doctor tells you to use one.

Sleeping: on your side or on your back, with a pillow that fills the gap between your shoulder and your head. Sleeping face down keeps the neck fully turned all night, which is often exactly what sets it off.

Driving: if you cannot turn your head to check when changing lanes or parking, better not to drive until you can.

None of this replaces what your doctor has told you.

When to see a doctor, not us

Go to A&E or your doctor if the stiff neck comes with fever or a severe headache; if swallowing is difficult or you have a very sore throat; if it started after a blow, a fall or an accident; if you notice tingling or weakness in an arm, clumsy hands, dizziness, double vision or difficulty speaking; if your neck twists on its own and you cannot straighten it; or if the pain does not ease in any position and wakes you every night. For a child, always the paediatrician first.

How we assess it

We start by listening: when it started, what you were doing, whether it is the first time or it keeps happening, how you sleep and how many hours you spend at a screen. Then comes the physical examination and postural assessment, taking care not to push what hurts, and we explain what we have found before anyone touches you. If you have scans or reports, bring them.

On what the research says: a 2021 review of trials on acute neck pain found that spinal manipulation, on its own or with other techniques, improved pain compared with the comparison groups, although the authors themselves point out that the studies were few and of limited quality. The references are at the end of this page.

Why come in, even if it «goes away on its own»

It is true: most cases of wry neck settle. That is why many people sit it out for a few days with heat and patience, and that is fine. The problem is two things that waiting does not solve.

First, the days in between. A week without being able to turn your head is a week of driving badly, working with a rigid neck and sleeping in fits. What we work on here is movement: getting the locked joint moving again so the muscle can stop guarding what no longer needs guarding.

Second, the one that comes back. If it happens two or three times a year, something is setting it off: a stiff area in the neck, your working posture, your pillow, the way you sleep. That can be looked at calmly when your neck is not locked. We will not promise it will never happen again, but we will tell you what we see and what you can change yourself.

If at the first visit we see that you need something else, more tests or another specialist, we will tell you that same day. We would rather tell you than have you lose time and money.

Frequently asked questions

Can you adjust my neck if I have a wry neck?
It depends on what we find when we examine you. If movement hurts too much, we do not force it: we use gentler techniques and leave the adjustment until the muscle allows it. We always explain first what we are going to do, and we never do it without your agreement.

How long does a wry neck last?
Acute wry neck in adults usually improves within a few days, sometimes a week or two. If it is not improving, gets worse or comes with any of the symptoms under «When to see a doctor», do not wait: see your doctor.

Do I need an X-ray?
Usually not. If there has been a blow or an accident, or there are worrying symptoms, your doctor decides whether a test is needed.

Why do I get a wry neck every few months?
There is usually something setting it off: stiffness in part of the neck, screen time, the way you sleep. That is what we look for at the first visit, ideally at a time when your neck is not locked.

Do I need a referral?
No. But do bring any reports or scans you have.

Book your first visit · Chiropractor in central Málaga, in English · C/ Córdoba 6 · +34 629 245 594 · WhatsApp

Esta página también está disponible en español: Tortícolis en Málaga.

This clinic works on musculoskeletal complaints of the spine and joints. We do not diagnose or treat systemic, respiratory, autoimmune, metabolic or neurological disease, and we do not replace prescribed medical treatment. If you have a diagnosis of that kind, your specialist is the one who manages it.