Stiff neck can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'worrying' to 'critical'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.
Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose stiff neck, we could:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
Possible Urgent Medical Need | 95% | Confirm |
Rheumatoid Arthritis | 20% | Unlikely |
Stress | 16% | Unlikely |
Ankylosing Spondylitis | 4% | Ruled out |
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis | 2% | Ruled out |
Cervical Arthritis | 1% | Ruled out |
A Subarachnoid Hemorrhage | 0% | Ruled out |
Encephalitis | 0% | Ruled out |
If you have a stiff (hard-to-turn) neck, how far can you turn your neck until the pain or resistance becomes too much?
Possible responses:
→ Don't know→ My neck is not stiff → I can move my neck quite well, but not all the way → I can move my neck a little, with difficulty → I can not move my neck |
A very stiff neck can indicate a potentially life-threatening condition, such as meningitis, encephalitis or a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Stress can cause the neck muscles to tighten and become stiff.