Stiff neck?!

[vass0922]

A very stubborn friend of mine has had a stiff neck for going on 3 days now.
It's not getting any better at all, I asked her to go to the doc but she's refusing (women... NEVER listen lol)

Is there a reason why a stiff neck could warrant goign to the doc office?! I know some infections can cause stiffness in muscles but don't have the link to back them up :/
She can't turn her head at all without pain, although she says she can nod up and down OK

any help!?

[baby asp-er]

I think menengitis(spelling?) can cause a stiff neck... but hey... so can a bad mattress or a poor nights sleep... My hubby hurt his neck weeks ago... ya think I can get him to the docs?... Forget it!

Good Luck!

[howste]

I had a real pain in the neck once (literally). I went to the doctor when it got so bad I couldn't sleep. It turned out to be "muscle spasms." Of course the fact that it was painful to move made them tighten up even worse. I was given some muscle relaxants and sent home to sleep.

Sounds like the beginning of a joke: "I had a real pain in the neck once, but then..."

[Brainchild]

I think a docs visit would be in order after a few days of this. Usually a stiff neck goes away in a day or two

[Ruler2112]

Meningitis does indeed cause a stiff neck. My ex-brother-in-law came *really* close to dying from it. Shortly after we went to the hospital to see him, 3 of us got a stiff neck. The doctor said that we had caught it, but that 99%+ of the cases, that's the only symptom. Obviously it can get much more serious (my bro-in-law was in the hospital for over 2 weeks!), so tie her up and cart her over to the doctor's office!

I *think* that I heard that West Nile Virus produces a stiff neck, but don't quote me on that.

[vass0922]

ya I checked on that ruler, but both of them also give fevers which she does not seem to have at the moment, although she admitted she did have headaches occasionally in hte past few days. I will be keeping a close eye on her!!

[SPEEDO]

Is it just her neck or does it radiate down into her shoulder?

A collapsed lung can cause these symptoms.

SPEEDO