A stiff neck is a condition that most probably every person has encountered in their life. The reasons for this problem vary from trivial to very serious, even life-threatening. It is for this reason that the reduced mobility of the neck should not be underestimated. So when should a stiff neck be a concern?

The stiffness of the neckwe often owe… to ourselves. When looking for the cause of neck stiffness, it is initially necessary to rule out the most trivial conditions, such as assuming the wrong position during sleep.

The problem may also appear in those people who spend a lot of time (e.g. due to their work) in front of the computer - the risk of stiff neck increases especially when the body position taken during work is not ergonomic and when the a long time without movement. Conditions related to muscle strain are also the cause of ailments - such a situation applies to people who engage in intensive sports, during which the muscles associated with the neck (e.g. swimming) work, but also for busy people who often talk on the phone by pressing the hearing aid to their ear with their arm. However, the mobility of the neck should not be underestimated, because it can also be caused by other, definitely more dangerous to he alth (and sometimes even to life) reasons.

If the causes of a stiff neck are due to inappropriate behavior, the problem is relatively easy to deal with.

Neck stiffness as a tire symptom

The stiff neck may be one of the so-called meningeal symptoms. Checking for the presence of this symptom is relatively simple: with a supine patient, an attempt is made to bend the patient's chin towards the chest. A positive meningeal symptom is one in which, due to stiffness, it is impossible to bring the chin closer to said area of ​​the patient's body. However, it should be emphasized here that the inability to perform the above activity is not synonymous with pathology: in some people it is not possible due to past diseases (e.g. neuroinfecting processes). The symptom of neck stiffness is not tested in people with cervical spine instability. Apart from the above exceptions, stiffness of the neck as a meningeal symptom should always be a factor.referring the patient to further diagnostics. When neck stiffness is accompanied by other ailments, such as high fever, photophobia, vomiting and severe headache, there is a high risk that the patient has developed meningitis. The occurrence of the mentioned symptoms should always prompt the patient to see a doctor.

Important

Physical examination can also demonstrate reduced neck mobility in patients with increased intracranial pressure - the causes of this condition may be subarachnoid bleeding, but also neoplastic processes developing within the central nervous system.

Causes of a stiff neck: chronic diseases

Patients suffering from conditions on the border of orthopedics and rheumatology may struggle with stiff neck. The symptom may be present in the course of:

  • rheumatic polymyalgia
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • ankylosing spondylitis
  • disorders related to intervertebral discs (e.g. with their pathological displacement)

Causes of a stiff neck: injuries

Impaired mobility of the neck may result, as it is easy to guess, from the experience of some trauma in this area of ​​the body. Such events, in which the neck is subject to rapid forward or backward movement, are particularly predisposed to stiffness of the neck - an example can be a car accident, which causes strains of tendons and ligaments, which may result in the appearance of stiffness of the neck.

Other causes of a stiff neck

A stiff neck is a fairly non-specific symptom and, apart from the situations described above, it can also occur in the course of:

  • Parkinson's disease (due to excessive muscle tension),
  • cervical dystonia (a unit associated with involuntary muscle contraction),
  • serious infections affecting organs located in the neck (e.g. throat),
  • torticollis (a condition that can be both congenital and acquired),
  • stroke.
Important

The stiffness of the neck can also be iatrogenic - this is the case when the stiffness of the neck appears after the patient undergoes some medical procedure, e.g. a lumbar puncture. Interestingly, exposure to severe (especially chronic) stress can also be a factor causing the restriction of neck mobility.

Category:

Neurology