Tendinitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Tendinitis, including details on treatment, symptoms, achiles, elbow, knee, wrist.

Retropharyngeal tendinitis: a rare differential diagnosis of severe headaches and neck pain.

Harnier S, Kuhn J, Harzheim A, Bewermeyer H, Limmroth V

Neurology, Cologne City Hospitals, Cologne, Germany.

Retropharyngeal tendinitis is a rare cause of intense neck pain and occipital headache. It is caused by an aseptic inflammatory process in the longus colli tendon, triggered by deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite crystal. Clinically, it can be misdiagnosed as retropharyngeal abscess, traumatic injury, infectious spondylitis, cervical artery dissection, or even meningitis. The diagnosis is made radiographically by a nearly pathognomonic amorphous calcification anterior to C1-C2 and prevertebral soft tissue swelling. We present a new case of this uncommon condition exhibiting some unusual features.

Published 10 January 2008 in Headache, 48(1): 158-61.
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