Torticollis - Wry Neck disease Treatment for newborns in Houston TX

OMT for Torticollis

Is Osteopathic Manipulation Safe For My Baby?

Yes! In May 2006, The American Journal of Pediatrics said: 

“Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT), particularly Osteopathy in the Cranial Field, is safe, effective, and well-tolerated in treating postural plagiocephaly, torticollis, and many other clinical conditions in children… Those of us who use the osteopathic approach to medicine rarely need to refer our patients for physical therapy or orthotics.”

Watch the testimonial below to hear why my patients are elated and understand the additional benefits of this type of treatment.

Pediatricians Trust Us With Their Kids

“Dr. Banik was amazing! My infant daughter had moderate positional plagiocephaly 

  which was refractory to repositioning techniques recommended by physical

therapy.  She was recommended for a helmet.  As a pediatrician myself, I did not want to

go this route – it is expensive and cumbersome, and the evidence for use in non-severe cases

was not convincing. Many fellow physician moms suggested I find a DO who specialized

in therapy for this specific issue. We could not have been happier with Dr. Banik.  My

daughter’s torticollis quickly resolved, and her head shape has normalized after a few

months.  Dr. Banik explained everything as she was doing it, and I was never worried that

any treatment would be dangerous or uncomfortable for my baby.  She was a pleasure to

visit each week, and my daughter seemed to enjoy it and would usually take a great nap

after treatments.”  -Amanda 

What Does a Treatment from Osteopathic Healing Hands Look Like?

Most of our patients aren’t familiar with our type of medicine and we typically get the common question: “So you aren’t a chiropractor or a physical therapist, but treat with your hands?  What does a treatment look like?

Additional Benefits of Torticollis Treatment in Infants

Studies have shown infants treated with osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) also experienced:

1. Improved ability to look to both sides when they previously favored one side 
2. Improved head shape so you can avoid the cost of a cranial helmet
3. Improved ability to breastfeed
4. Improved quality of sleep
5. Improved bowel movements
6. Improved eye tracking
7. Decreased reflux

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment for babies is a highly successful, hands-on, non-invasive way to diagnose and treat the body. It uses zero equipment or machinery and can significantly improve and treat physical symptoms caused by conditions like trauma.

This disease, also called wry neck or twisted neck, is a condition caused by tightened or shortened neck muscles. Children with torticollis often have poor head control and tilt their heads toward one side with the chin turned to the other side. This is usually observed in the first 6 to 8 weeks of life. In newborns, torticollis can occur as a result of abnormal positioning of the head in the womb or birth trauma. In older children, it may result from injury to the neck muscles or from infections.

Newborn torticollis often arises from the trauma of giving birth or malpositioning in the womb. The baby’s skull bones are designed to be as flexible as possible to allow for passage through the birth canal. However, sometimes they can become misaligned, which can affect the spinal accessory nerve, which plays a major role in neck muscle functioning. One focus of osteopathic treatments for torticollis is correcting this anatomical dysfunction to allow for better function and improved movement in the affected muscles.

For example, one of the bones at the base of the skull is called the occiput. Another important bone is the temporal bone. Between these two bones is a hole called the jugular foramen, through which many nerves and veins pass. If the bones of the occiput and temporal bone are compressed during a traumatic birth, they can put pressure on the nerves passing through the jugular foramen. This can lead to one side of the neck muscles pulling harder than the other side, causing the characteristic tilt seen in torticollis neck.

My job is to help restore the bones of the skull, particularly the occiput and temporal bones, through osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). This treatment alleviates the pressure on the nerves, allowing the baby’s body to naturally correct its posture and alignment. By addressing the root cause of torticollis, we help the child achieve proper neck function and posture, avoiding the need for more invasive treatments or long-term complications.

Children with trauma may exhibit various signs and symptoms such as:

• Tilting of the head to one side with the chin pointing to the shoulder on the opposite side
• Limited ability to move the neck or turn the head
• One side of the face and head looks flattened (plagiocephaly) from the child laying their head on the same side while sleeping
• Painless swelling or mass in the neck (can appear in infants during the first month)
• Pain and stiffness in the neck; characteristic symptoms caused by injury or infection

Your physician will diagnose based on the birth history, which reveals the possibility of any birth injury and a careful physical examination.  X-rays and ultrasound examination of the neck may be done to rule out other abnormalities and confirm the diagnosis.  A thorough neurologic exam helps to assess the cause

Treatment of Pediatric Torticollis is especially successful when started at an early age. Physical torticollis therapies are a common treatment. Osteopathic manipulative treatment is aimed at addressing the root cause of why it exists and resolving it in that respect.