Importance of full evaluation in patients who complain of neck pain

Although neck pain is common in patients with chronic rheumatic disorders, any change in the quality or severity of pain should be further investigated. We report two patients who recently presented with increasing neck pain on a background of chronic inflammatory arthritis. Both patients were found to have suffered fractures of the cervical spine. In each case, the bones appeared osteopenic and reduced bone density is likely to have made the patients susceptible to fracture. This report highlights the need to comprehensively evaluate patients with chronic rheumatic disorders who note a significant change in their neck symptoms.