Torticollis in Babies — More Than Just a Tight Neck
When Your Baby’s Head Always Turns One Way
Does your baby always look to the same side?
Do they tilt their head or seem uncomfortable when you try to turn them the other way?
You might have been told your baby has torticollis — a tightening of the neck muscles on one side. But while torticollis looks like a muscle issue, it’s really a sign of something deeper happening inside the nervous system.
What’s Really Happening in Torticollis
Torticollis develops when one set of neck muscles becomes tighter or shorter than the other, pulling the head into a tilt or rotation.
But those muscles don’t decide to tighten on their own — they respond to the signals they receive from the nervous system.
When a baby’s nervous system is under stress, one side of the body can become overactive while the other underperforms. That imbalance is what keeps the head tilted or turned.
This is why stretching or physical therapy sometimes helps temporarily — but unless the underlying neurological imbalance is corrected, the pattern often returns.
The Role of Birth and Early Stress
The neck is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body during birth.
Long labours, inductions, or assisted births (forceps or vacuum) can place significant pressure on the neck and upper spine. Even uncomplicated births can create subtle tension that lingers.
When the nerves in this area become irritated, the muscles they control begin compensating. The baby may resist turning one way, feed more comfortably on one side, or develop a head tilt that gradually affects posture, vision, and even digestion.
How the Nervous System Is Involved
The brainstem and upper cervical spine house key nerves that control muscle tone, balance, and posture. When these areas are stressed, it changes how signals travel between the brain and body.
That’s why torticollis isn’t just about one tight muscle — it’s a sign that the body’s communication system needs to reset.
Left unaddressed, torticollis can contribute to plagiocephaly (flat spots), feeding difficulties, and even delayed motor milestones.
How Chiropractic Care Supports Torticollis
At Healthy Families Chiropractic, we use INSiGHT scans to identify exactly how your baby’s nervous system is functioning.
These scans help us understand the relationship between nerve stress, muscle tension, and movement.
Surface EMG shows which muscles are overactive or compensating.
Thermal scans detect nerve irritation that may be keeping one side tight.
HRV shows how adaptable your baby’s nervous system is to daily stressors.
With gentle, specific adjustments, we help calm those overactive areas, release tension, and restore symmetry in the neck and spine.
As communication improves, the body naturally finds its balance again — head tilt reduces, range of motion returns, and your baby becomes more comfortable in every position.
A Regulated Nervous System Changes Everything
Parents often notice that once the nervous system starts regulating, everything improves — not just the neck.
Babies feed more evenly, sleep more soundly, and begin hitting developmental milestones with more ease.
That’s because when the nervous system feels safe and balanced, the body can finally relax and grow the way it’s designed to.
You Don’t Have to Wait It Out
If you’ve noticed a head tilt, feeding preference, or uneven movement, there’s likely more happening beneath the surface.
Torticollis doesn’t resolve by stretching alone — it resolves when the nervous system can coordinate both sides of the body again.
Let’s take a closer look at how your baby’s nervous system is functioning and help them move freely, comfortably, and confidently.
