Neck diseases include cervical spondylosis, radiculopathy, myelopathy, inflammatory or neoplastic processes, and soft-tissue disorders. While each entity has unique traits, most share a common core of clinical manifestations.
- Local pain and stiffness
Dull or sharp pain originates in the nuchal muscles or paraspinal region and is often worse on waking or after prolonged static postures; active and passive range of motion is reduced by muscle spasm and facet irritation . - Radiating arm pain
Compression of a cervical nerve root produces unilateral shooting pain, numbness or tingling that follows a dermatomal line (e.g., thumb for C6, middle finger for C7, little finger for C8) and is aggravated by neck extension or rotation . - Neurological deficit
Chronic cord compression (myelopathy) leads to loss of fine-motor control, grip weakness, hand muscle wasting and a characteristic “myelopathy hand” with positive finger-escape and grip-release tests . Lower-limb findings include spastic gait, hyper-reflexia, clonus and a positive Babinski sign. - Headache and retro-orbital discomfort
Occipital or sub-occipital pain, often unilateral, arises from upper cervical facet arthropathy or muscular trigger points and may radiate forward to the eye, ear or temporal region . - Dizziness and visual-vestibular symptoms
Vertigo, light-headedness, tinnitus, blurred vision or transient diplopia can accompany cervical sympathetic irritation or vertebro-basilar insufficiency, especially when associated with osteophytic compression . - Constitutional clues
Persistent night pain, unexplained weight loss, low-grade fever, or drenching night sweats raise concern for infection or malignancy, whereas morning stiffness lasting >30 min suggests inflammatory arthritides.
Recognition of these patterns guides timely imaging and specialist referral, preventing irreversible cord damage or systemic spread.
| Symptom / Sign | Typical Meaning |
|---|---|
| Local pain & stiffness | Muscle strain, facet arthropathy |
| Dermatomal arm pain | Cervical radiculopathy |
| Hand clumsiness, gait spasticity | Cervical myelopathy |
| Occipital headache | Upper cervical spondylosis |
| Dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision | Vertebro-basilar or sympathetic involvement |
| Night pain, fever, weight loss | Infection / neoplasm |