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Stiff neck

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Stiff neck

Neck pain is most often related to injury, tension, arthritis, or chronic misuse of the neck. But in rare cases, neck stiffness may be a sign of bleeding or infection (meningitis, encephalitis, or an abscess) within or around the brain.

A stiff neck may be a symptom of one of these serious conditions when it:

  • Develops rapidly and occurs along with other symptoms, such as nausea or vomiting, fever, headache, sleepiness, confusion, extreme grouchiness, or a seizure.
  • Occurs in the middle of the back of the neck (not to one side or the other) and causes pain when the person tilts the head backward or forward. The person may be unable to move the chin toward the chest, for example.
  • Is unexplained (for example, there was no injury and the person did not sleep in an awkward position).

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Healthwise is a URAC accredited health web site content provider. Privacy Policy. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

To learn more, visit Healthwise.org

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