There are numerous symptoms associated with cervical spine pain. According to MayoClinic.com, neck pain can be caused by a variety of injuries or conditions, and neck pain can range from mild and irritating to severe and debilitating. Cervical spine conditions can cause symptoms to manifest in other parts of the body, and while most neck pain symptoms are benign, some symptoms can signal a serious underlying condition that requires immediate medical attention.
Decreased Range of Motion
Decreased neck range of motion, both active and passive, are common symptoms associated with cervical spine pain. Neck range of motion is the degree to which a person can bend, extend, rotate and laterally bend his head and neck, and is frequently assessed by health care practitioners as an outcome marker for neck pain patients. According to the Mayfield Clinic—one the world's largest neurosurgical practices—neck pain can cause neck stiffness, tightness, aching or burning, which can decrease a person's ability to move his head and neck in one or more planes of motion. Decreased neck range of motion can cause functional limitations and make it difficult to perform many activities of daily living, including driving a vehicle, playing sports or cleaning the house. Pain-induced reductions in neck range of motion can be indicative of serious conditions such as meningitis, or can be caused from something as simple as sleeping in an awkward position.
Upper Extremity Numbness
Upper extremity numbness and loss of grip strength can be a symptom of cervical spine pain, and often indicates that a serious underlying neck pathology is present. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, or AAFP, cervical spine pain or stiffness may be accompanied by arm pain, hand numbness and weakness in the hands. These symptoms suggest a cervical myelopathy, or spinal cord compression, a common cause of spinal cord dysfunction in the elderly. Degenerative processes in the cervical spine, otherwise known as central cervical intervertebral disc herniations—can cause spinal cord impingement or compression. Cervical spine myelopathy is definitively diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, which may show spinal cord impingement by osteophytes, or bone spurs, herniated disc material or thickening of the ligamentum flavum—a ligament that connects adjacent vertebrae. Surgery is often required to decompress the spinal cord.
Headaches
Certain types of headaches, especially cervicogenic headaches, may be associated with cervical spine pain or dysfunction. According to the Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch, the neck—due to chronic tension, whiplash injuries, intervertebral disc disease or facet joint arthritis—can be a significant and debilitating headache source. Headaches for which the primary pain generating structure is located in cervical spine pain are categorized as cervicogenic headaches. Trigger points—hyperirritable nodules, or knots in a tight band of muscle—in the neck can cause headaches, as can certain disc and joint problems. Trigger points in the neck's suboccipital region, which is situated just below the base of the skull, may be particularly problematic, and can cause headaches or pain in the forehead or behind the eyes. Cervicogenic headaches respond well to conservative care methods that target the underlying causes of the pain, including irritated muscles and joint dysfunction.
