Stiffness in the muscles of the back and neck - Causes and Symptoms

Definition

The stiffness of the back and neck muscles is manifested by the difficulty in moving the upper back area or bending the head, sometimes associated with pain.

It is a very common symptom, which can have different causes.

Postural cervicalgia manifests itself with neck and cervical pain after having maintained a forced position for a long time with the trunk too bent forward or with the neck too relaxed, such as when working on the computer for a prolonged period or sleeping in an abnormal position .

The stiff neck is characterized, instead, by rigidity of the muscles of the back and neck, associated with very intense pain and marked functional limitation; the contraction of the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscle can induce the inclination of the head from the side of the spasm. These symptoms generally occur in acute form. At the onset of a stiff neck, atmospheric factors, stress, incorrect postures or abrupt movements can affect them.

The stiffness of the muscles of the back and neck is a symptom that is commonly manifested also in arthrosis at the level of the cervical vertebrae (cervicoarthrosis). In this case, stiffness in the dorsal region and cervicalgia are aggravated by cold-humid climates, stress and flawed positions.

Another cause is the cervical whiplash, which occurs following a violent stress in extension or flexion of the cervical spine, as happens following a car accident or a fall . After this event, stiffness and contracture are associated with a very intense neck pain.

Also the cervical disc hernia causes a continuous and unbearable pain symptomatology, with loss of strength and alteration of the sensitivity of the arm.

The stiffness of the back and neck muscles can result from many other disorders, such as Paget's disease, fibromyalgia, thoracic outlet syndrome, herpes zoster and spondyloarthropathy (including ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and Reiter's syndrome).

Although it is not frequent, a sudden stiffness located between the neck and the back is a sign of more serious extra-spinal conditions, especially if accompanied by neurological or systemic symptoms (such as fever, nausea, dizziness, convulsions and general impairment). This manifestation may be associated, in fact, with acute meningitis, subarachnoid hemorrhage, encephalitis, myocardial infarction and dissection of the carotid or vertebral artery.