title: Unusual cause of neck pain: septic arthritis of a cervical facet.
abstract: Neck pain is a common cause for presentation to an emergency department. Most causes are benign and often secondary to arthritis or injuries. We present a case of septic cervical facet arthritis, a very rare cause of neck pain. The clinical presentation of septic cervical facet arthritis includes fever, neck pain that is often unilateral that is worse with movement, nerve root symptoms, and radiation of pain to the shoulder. Consequences may be severe and include joint destruction and infection progression. Symptoms may be indolent, and a high index of suspicion is necessary to make this diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87111, USA.
authors.forename: Jaime L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Amy A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ernst
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents