Stiff neck can be caused by tension in neck muscles or injuries, while cough and stiff neck can indicate respiratory diseases. Meningitis is a serious medical condition that can cause cough, stiff neck, and other flu-like symptoms, leading to complications such as seizures and respiratory distress.
A stiff neck – or trouble moving the neck due to pain or discomfort – can be the result of extreme tension within the neck muscles. This problem can also be the byproduct of a problem in another area of the body such as the shoulders, arms or head, in the form of a headache that travels to the neck area. Symptoms that include cough and stiff neck, on the other hand, can be the body’s way of warning that there is a serious problem in the body that threatens the overall well-being of the body.
Neck pain and tension can be triggered by an injury such as a muscle sprain or strain that causes tiny tears in the fibers of your muscles, tendons, or ligaments. In turn, this causes inflammation, which causes swelling in the area. Once the muscles are injured, as a protective mechanism, the body can react by causing continuous activation of the muscle fibers, called muscle spasm. Spasms, or the persistent involuntary contraction of a muscle, can “lock” the muscles, producing pain and a reluctance or inability to move the neck through its normal range of motion, thus protecting the area from further damage.
Common respiratory diseases, such as the common cold, bronchitis, sinusitis, and pneumonia can cause a variety of symptoms including a productive cough and stiff neck. When the body is invaded by contaminants, whether viral or bacterial in nature, the body responds by producing excess mucus. Coughing can be brought on by the body’s attempts to clear the airways and rid the body of extra secretions. Neck stiffness can be acquired from the continued stress on the neck area from excessive coughing. However, when cough and stiff neck are accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, vomiting and headache, it can be more than just an infection process.
A serious medical illness in which a cough and stiff neck are present, along with other flu-like symptoms, is a condition called meningitis. Meningitis is an infection process that affects the brain by causing inflammation of the lining around the brain, called the meninges. In some cases, meningitis can also affect the spinal cord. Left untreated, meningitis can cause other health problems such as an increased risk of seizures, a condition in which there is an extreme amount of electrical activity in the brain making it ‘seizure’. Another complication of meningitis is the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome, a condition in which excessive fluid accumulation causes the inability to breathe properly, thus putting overall well-being at risk.
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