Neck pain may be caused by arthritis, disc degeneration, narrowing of the spinal canal, muscle inflammation, strain or trauma. In rare cases, it may be a sign of cancer or meningitis.
Cervical radiculopathy (also known as “pinched nerve”) is a condition that results in neurological dysfunction caused by compression and inflammation of any of the nerve roots of your cervical spine (neck). Neurological dysfunction can include radiating pain, muscle weakness and/or numbness.
Causes of Neurological Back and Neck Pain
Part of the aging process where we develop neck and back pain can be caused by excessive pressure or even develop after an injury. While aging is one of the main causes, diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease, epilepsy or tumors can cause neurological neck and back pain.
Meningitis. Meningitis is inflammation in the area surrounding your brain and spinal cord (your meninges). It's usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. It's one of the most serious causes of neck stiffness.
Causes of cancer in the neck
thyroid cancer. throat cancer. mouth or oral cancer. tongue cancer.
The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a swelling in the neck, armpit or groin. The swelling is usually painless, although some people find that it aches. The swelling is caused by an excess of affected lymphocytes (white blood cells) collecting in a lymph node (also called lymph glands).
Head and neck cancer symptoms may include a lump in the neck or a sore in the mouth or the throat that does not heal and may be painful, a sore throat that does not go away, difficulty in swallowing, and a change or hoarseness in the voice. These symptoms may also be caused by other, less serious conditions.
Neck pain may be caused by arthritis, disc degeneration, narrowing of the spinal canal, muscle inflammation, strain or trauma. In rare cases, it may be a sign of cancer or meningitis.
What is myositis? Myositis is an autoimmune disease involving chronic inflammation that leads to the weakening of muscles over time, particularly those in the neck, shoulders, hips and back. It may be painful, too. The muscle inflammation is from the immune system losing tolerance of the muscle.
The rule of thumb is that you should start a more thorough medical investigation only when all three of these conditions are met, three general red flags for neck pain: it's been bothering you for more than about 6 weeks. it's severe and/or not improving, or actually getting worse.
A common pain in MS is what's known as Lhermitte's sign. “This occurs when there's a lesion on the cervical spine, the neck area of the spinal cord,” says Dr. Scherz.
Call your doctor if you have neck pain that: Worsens in spite of self-care. Persists after several weeks of self-care. Radiates down your arms or legs.
Cervical neuropathy is the medical term for symptoms caused by a trapped, compressed or damaged nerve root in the cervical (or top) portion of your spine. Symptoms can include numbness, tingling, a cold or warm feeling. You may also experience headaches or neck pain.
The cervical nerve roots innervate the back of the head and neck as well as the arms and hands. If they are affected, the patient could have burning, tingling, numbness, and pain in these areas. Sometimes headaches result from cervical degenerative disc problems.
If fibromyalgia has caused you to experience pain and stiffness in your neck and shoulders, you may also have frequent headaches. These can vary from being mild headaches to severe migraines, and could also involve other symptoms, such as feeling sick.
One specific kind of neck pain associated with fibromyalgia is occipital neuralgia. It is excruciating pain that starts in the back of the neck and stretches up to the scalp. It can cause pain behind one eye as well as increased sensitivity to light.
You may experience pain and stiffness, with or without swelling. This affects most people with lupus. Common areas for muscle pain and swelling include the neck, thighs, shoulders, and upper arms.
Common causes include physical strain, poor posture, mental stress, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, herniated disk, pinched nerve, tumors and other health conditions.
Simple blood tests may also be useful in the evaluation of neck pain. A Complete Blood Count with differential (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is ordered if infection is suspected.
Most head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. This type of cancer begins in flat squamous cells. These cells make up the thin layer of tissue on the surface of the structures in the head and neck.
Symptoms. Neck pain is the most common presenting symptom of patients with a cervical spine tumor. Patients often have unrelenting pain, as well as night pain, that is not relieved by rest or traditional measures. Patients may have neck stiffness and decreased range-of-motion.
The most common symptom of lymphoma in the head and neck is the development of painless and enlarged lymph nodes along the side of the neck. Other symptoms can include nausea and headaches. B cell lymphoma is associated with weight loss, night sweats, and fevers.
In a recently published study about extranodal lymphomas of the head and neck region, the most common site were the salivary glands with 41%.