Torticollis

I was diagnosed with VIRAL TORTICOLLIS a week ago, after dealing with HORRIBLE neck and upper back pain for a few days in Lexington (I literally couldn't turn my head and any movement at all hurt like the dickens!) I'm taking some hefty Motrin and muscle relaxers now (only at night), but, I'm really not getting a lot better. They even tested me for menongitis (eek -scary!), but it was negative, thankfully! So, I'm stuck with a sore, stiff neck for now. Its really a pain in the a$$! The doc wants me to cut my muscle relaxers in half and take them during the day, too, to see if that helps! I hate taking "those" kind of prescriptions - the ones that make me feel so "out of it." I even hate some allergy medications for the same reason. I just don't like feeling so out of control of my own body.

What is torticollis?
Torticollis, also known as wryneck, is a twisting of the neck that causes the head to rotate and tilt at an odd angle.

Torticollis is caused by irritation to cervical nerves, which results in spasm of the neck muscles. In addition to vigorous movement or injury, torticollis may be caused by the following:
sleeping in an awkward position
anxiety
neck muscle injury at birth
burn injury
any injury that causes heavy scarring and skin shrinkage
neck muscle spasm
herniated disc
viral or bacterial infection

What are the symptoms of torticollis?
The following are the most common symptoms of torticollis. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
neck muscle pain or pain down the spine
inability to turn the head, usually holding it twisted to one side
spasm of the neck muscles
awkward position of the chin