What is Wry Neck?

Written By Karen Saggers

A wry neck is an acute and severe onset of one-sided neck pain, usually experienced when waking up or after a sudden movement of the neck. 

The most common theory is that a facet joint becomes “locked” or stiff on one side of the cervical spine (neck). 

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms are typically severe neck pain on one side of the neck, with the inability to turn the head towards the direction of your pain. Usually, and a tell-tale sign you have this condition, you remain able to look away from the side of your pain with full range and relative ease.

What to do about it?

The first thing to do is not panic. While neck pain of this type can seem quite concerning, this tends to recover quite quickly with the right management.

Pushing too far into the painful direction is not recommended in the first 12-24 hours as it may increase your pain levels.

Seeing a physiotherapist is a great idea as they can identify this condition more accurately and ensure you are not experiencing any other cause of neck pain. They can also assist in alleviating some of the symptoms to get you back to your best as soon as possible.

How long will it last?

Most people will notice full recovery of neck symptoms within a few days to a week, however symptoms may linger up to 2-3 weeks in some cases. 

If your neck pain persists beyond 3 weeks, it is more likely you are not experiencing a wry neck, and you should seek further treatment if you haven’t already

What are some exercises you can do?

A simple and easy exercise to complete is gentle rotation side to side with a towel placed under your neck. You can also place a heat pack in the same area to help with this further. Complete 2 lots of 10 turns within your comfortable range.

The bottom line

Wry neck is an acute and very severe episode of neck pain, but remaining calm and staying positive is important.  This condition will tend to make a full recovery quite quickly, and seeing a physiotherapist can assist in speeding up the rehabilitation process and controlling your symptoms during its course.



Karen Saggers

Karen joined Beechboro Physiotherapy after graduating from Curtin University. She has since completed further studies in the treatment of shoulder and spinal pain. Karen has a special interest in nutrition and is very aware of the role this can play in recovery from injury and on the body’s ability to function. 

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