7.11 Neck Pain

Question 1

Define the timeframe of acute, subacute, chronic neck pain

Answer 1

Acute: <6 weeks
Subacute: 6wks-6mths
Chronic: 6months+

Question 2

What are some common causes of neck pain?

Answer 2

• Poor posture
• Injury (e.g. wrestling)
• Muscle strains
• Disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis)

Question 3

What are the red flag features of neck pain?

Answer 3

• Trauma
• Rheumatoid arthritis Hx
• Infective symptoms
• Systsemic symptoms (malignancy/rheumatological process)
• Neurological deficit (demyelinating process, cervical cord compression)
• Ripping/tearing (arterial dissection)
• MI symptoms

(RR MINTS)

Question 4

What neurological deficits do we screen for in neck pain cases?

Answer 4

Upper limb sensory or motor disturbances:
- Weakness
- Numbness
- Paraesthesia
- Loss of fine motor skills

Question 5

What are some indications for imaging in the presence of neck pain?

Answer 5

• Age >50 with new symptoms
• Constitutional symptoms
• Infection risk
• Moderate/severe pain, subacute or longer
• Neurological findings
• Malignancy Hx

Question 6

What lines do we inspect in Sagittal neck imaging?

Answer 6

• Anterior vertebral line
• Posterior vertebral line
• Spinolaminar line
• Posterior spinous line