The cause of acute primary torticollis is often not known. A torticollis is a condition in which the head becomes twisted to one side and it is very painful to move the head back straight. See the separate leaflet called Whiplash Neck Sprain for more details. This is most commonly due to an accident involving a vehicle, such as a car crash. For example, neck pain is more common in people who spend much of their working day at a desk, with a 'bent-forward' posture. Bad posture may also be a contributing factor in some cases. It may include minor strains and sprains to muscles or ligaments in the neck. Often the exact cause or origin of the pain is not known. This is sometimes called 'simple' or 'mechanical' neck pain. A major blood vessel called the vertebral artery also runs alongside the vertebrae to carry blood to the rear (posterior) part of your brain.

Nerves from your spinal cord come out from between the vertebrae in the neck to take and receive messages to the neck and arms. The spinal cord, which contains nervous tissue carrying messages to and from your brain, is protected by your spine. (The muscles and most ligaments are not shown in the diagram, for clarity.) Various muscles attached to your spine enable your spine to bend and move in various ways. Strong ligaments attach to adjacent vertebrae to give extra support and strength. The discs act like shock absorbers and allow your spine to be flexible. The discs are made of a tough fibrous outer layer and a softer gel-like inner part. The sides of your vertebrae are linked by small facet joints.īetween each of your vertebrae is a disc. The lower five cervical vertebrae are roughly cylindrical in shape - a bit like small tin cans - with bony projections.The first two are slightly different to the rest, as they attach your spine to your skull and allow your head to turn from side to side.Your cervical spine is made up of seven bones called vertebrae. The back of your neck includes the cervical spine and the muscles and ligaments that surround and support it.

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