Typical age: middle-aged or elderly adult
Clinical symptoms
(1) cervical pain, which often is made worse by neck movements
(2) referred pain (to the arms, between the scapulae, over the occipital region of the head)
(3) pain over the temporal region
(4) retro-orbital pain
(5) stiffness in the cervical spine
(6) sensory changes in the arms (tingling, weakness, and/or numbness)
(7) vertigo or dizziness
(8) impaired balance
(9) syncope (rare)
(10) angina-like symptoms (rare)
(11) migraine headaches triggered by neck movement (rare)
Physical findings:
(1) neck tenderness that is poorly localized
(2) limited range of motion (ROM)
(3) muscle spasm
(4) minor neurological changes in the arms
(5) myelopathy secondary to cord compression (rare)
(6) radiculopathy (rare)
Impairment may range from minimal and intermittent to severe and constant.
