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Causes and Sources of Neck Pain
From WikiMSK
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The source of the pain refers to the anatomical structure which has nociceptive activity leading to pain perception. A lot is known about possible sources, but not a great amount about actual sources of neck pain. The cause of the pain is the disease process or disorder that is responsible for the nociceptive activity. A lot is known about rare causes, but not common causes of neck pain.
Sources
- Any structure that has a nerve supply may become a source of pain
- The innervated structures are the: facet joints, atlanto-occipital joints, atlanto-axial joints, transverse ligament, posterior neck muscles, cervical intervertebral discs, vertebral bodies, anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments, the dura mater of the cervical spinal cord, the prevertebral muscles, and the vertebral and carotid arteries.
- In acute neck pain, it is not known how often each structure is a source of pain.
- In chronic neck pain, some data are available.
Causes
Summary
- Any structure in the cervical spine that is innervated is a potential source of pain
- Cervical spondylosis is not a legitimate cause of neck pain
- Serious and identifiable causes of neck pain are rare
- The causes of common neck pain are unknown
Bibliography
- Bogduk, Nikolai, and Brian McGuirk. Management of acute and chronic neck pain : an evidence-based approach. Edinburgh New York: Elsevier, 2006.
