Neck muscle contract, causing the head to twist to one side, choice the following option ?

NORCET 1 - 2020

Pharmacology

Easy

Appeared in: NORCET 1 - 2020

Explanation

Torticollis, literally meaning 'twisted neck,' is the specific medical term for the involuntary contraction of neck muscles causing the head to twist to one side.
This condition is a form of focal dystonia, which involves sustained muscle contractions that lead to abnormal postures.
It is often caused by the contraction of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.
While it can be congenital, it is also a well-known acute dystonic reaction (an extrapyramidal symptom) to medications, particularly first-generation antipsychotics.

Option B: Oculogyric crisis involves the muscles of the eyes, causing a prolonged, involuntary upward deviation of the eyeballs, not the neck.
Option C: Tardive dyskinesia is characterized by late-onset, repetitive, involuntary movements, most commonly affecting the face, mouth, and tongue (e.g., lip-smacking, grimacing, tongue protrusion). The question describes an acute neck muscle spasm.
Option D: Pseudo parkinsonism involves a triad of symptoms mimicking Parkinson's disease: resting tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia (slowness of movement). It does not primarily present as a twisted neck.

Visual 1: Diagram: Illustration of Torticollis, showing the contraction of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the resulting characteristic head tilt and chin rotation.
Visual 2: Infographic: The four main types of Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS), comparing the presentation and onset time of Acute Dystonia (Torticollis, Oculogyric Crisis), Akathisia, Pseudoparkinsonism, and Tardive Dyskinesia.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) and Dystonic Reactions as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must be able to rapidly identify torticollis as a potential acute dystonic reaction, which is a medical emergency often caused by antipsychotic medications.
Prompt recognition is critical because drug-induced dystonias are frightening for the patient and can, in rare cases, progress to life-threatening laryngospasm.
The standard nursing intervention, upon physician's order, is the prompt administration of an anticholinergic agent (e.g., benztropine) or an antihistamine (e.g., diphenhydramine), which typically provides rapid relief.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the clinical description in the question stem: 'Neck muscle contract, causing the head to twist to one side'.
This is a definition-based question. Your task is to match this specific clinical sign to the correct medical term among the options.
Evaluate each option's definition: Torticollis (twisted neck), Oculogyric crisis (eye deviation), Tardive dyskinesia (late-onset facial movements), and Pseudo parkinsonism (tremor, rigidity).
Recognize that all options are types of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), but they have distinct presentations.
Select the term that precisely matches the description of a twisted neck. Torticollis is the direct definition of this symptom.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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