Don’t miss 2 treatment periods for your baby’s torticollis

Torticollis in babies is very serious, and parents must pay attention to it. Otherwise, its growth and development may be affected. Therefore, it must be treated well at the beginning of the disease. The earlier the treatment, the greater the chance of recovery. However, it takes about two treatment periods. Short-term treatment may not be so effective. Surgical treatment is only required when the condition is more serious.

The earlier this disease is treated, the better the effect. Conservative treatment is used in infancy, and most cases have satisfactory results. After 1 year of age, surgical treatment is used if nonsurgical treatment is ineffective. It is generally believed that facial deformities are difficult to completely return to normal after the age of 3.

Conservative treatment

Applicable population: Suitable for infants after birth and under six months old. Conservative treatment should be actively adopted to promote early absorption of hematoma and prevent muscle fiber contracture.

1. Manual massage: You can first do the massage in the hospital. After the patient and parents have mastered the key points of the manual massage, they can do the massage at home by themselves, which is convenient and easy to stick to. The method is to use your fingers to gently twist and smooth the contracted sternocleidomastoid muscle, kneading and twisting, for 15 minutes each time, 2 to 3 times a day, with gentle movements. The mildly contracted sternocleidomastoid muscle can be gradually stretched and the head and neck posture can return to normal.

3. Local massage: Apply talcum powder and massage the lump repeatedly with your thumb or index finger. This can promote blood circulation, reduce swelling, disperse nodules, relieve spasms, promote the absorption of the lump, and achieve the treatment goal.

4. Traction: Continue to pull the head toward the healthy side, about 30 to 50 times a day, which can be done in several sessions. When doing this, the child should be laid flat on the bed. The parents should hold his head with both hands and turn his lower jaw toward the shoulder on the affected side (i.e. the lump on the neck). After turning, pause for about 1 minute to allow the muscles to be stretched. The technique should be gentle and avoid using violence.