Neurológia pre prax 1/2022

Neck-tongue syndrome

Neck-tongue syndrome is a rarely occurring disease which is included and defined in the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3). The clinical manifestations of neck-tongue syndrome (NTS) are sudden-onset headache at the back of the neck and sensory-motor signs due to impairment of tongue innervation, occurring as a result of vigorous head movement. In the clinical practice, the diagnosis is made by exclusion, that is after ruling out more frequent and potentially more serious conditions, particularly vascular pathologies (pre/intracerebral artery dissection and subarachnoid haemorrhage). The treatment predominantly involves nonpharmacological approaches represented by physiotherapy of the suboccipital and cervical regions. A case report is presented of a 53-year-old female patient admitted for acute-onset dysarthria and severe headache, occurring as a result of sneezing hard.

Keywords: neck-tongue syndrome, dysarthria, pseudoathetosis, atlantoaxial joint, proprioception, hypoglossal nerve