When is neck pain dangerous

A stiff neck can be annoying, but it is usually not cause for panic. In rare cases, however, it could signal the need for a prompt medical evaluation. This page contains some ways to know when a stiff neck might be a symptom of a serious underlying medical condition.

See All About Neck Pain. See Diagnosing Neck Pain. If a stiff neck is the result of a condition other than a strain or sprain, oftentimes other symptoms will also be present. In such cases, typically at least one other symptom will develop with or before the stiff, painful neck occurs. See Neck Strain: Causes and Remedies. In cases of muscle spasms, medical providers can prescribe muscle relaxants if they deem it appropriate.

Heat, massage and gentle stretching can also alleviate many cases of musculoskeletal neck pain. While some cases of neck pain are unavoidable, there are multiple steps patients can take to prevent it! And the third step patients can take is to make sure that their computer and mouse are positioned appropriately, since poorly-designed work spaces can lead to neck strain and muscle spasms.

Chronic neck pain tip sheet. American Osteopathic Association. Isaac Z. Evaluation of the patient with neck pain and cervical spine disorders. Treatment of neck pain. Chiropractic and neck pain. American Chiropractic Association. Neck pain. Trichinosis [Wikipedia] or trichinellosis, or trichiniasis is a parasitic disease caused by eating raw or undercooked pork and wild game. It can be mild or severe or fatal, and digestive disturbance is likely. It can also cause spasming and widespread muscle pain, including the neck.

Temporal arteritis [healthline] is an inflammation of arteries in the temple, with a lot of symptoms: severe headache, fever, scalp tenderness, jaw pain, vision trouble, and ringing in the ears are all possible symptoms, along with neck pain.

Once in a blue moon, someone might mistake these bulgings for muscle knots. More likely, it will be obvious that something else is going on: a variety of other symptoms.

Parsonage-Turner syndrome , [RareDiseases. For no known reason, sometimes the web of nerves that exit the cervical spine, the brachial plexus, becomes rapidly inflamed. This condition may sometimes occur along with neck pain. Strong pain in the shoulder and arm develops quickly, weakens the limb, and even atrophies the muscles over several months.

There is no cure, but most people make a complete recovery. Thyroiditis , [Wikipedia] inflammation of the thyroid gland in the throat, can be difficult to diagnose, causing a bewildering array of vague symptoms. Even a normal styloid process looks jarring when you first see one: it is so skinny and sharp that it makes one wonder how it can possibly not be stabbing something. The neck is one of a few areas of the body — along with the low back, jaw, and bowels — that is vulnerable to bouts of unexplained pain, sometimes quite stubborn.

In most cases, the pain goes away. Pain is weird and unpredictable, and is often the result of the brain being overprotective and paranoid.

Worrying about the pain may be literally the worst thing you can do — not just a poor coping mechanism, but a genuine risk factor.