Cervicocranial syndrome

Cervicocranial syndrome, also called craniocervical junction syndrome, is a combination of symptoms caused by an abnormality of the cervical vertebrae that impairs the function of the cervical spinal nerves. It can be congenital, present from birth, or acquired later through injury or degenerative disease, with recognized causes including Chiari malformation, Klippel-Feil malformation, osteoarthritis and physical trauma, and genetic mutations in genes such as GDF6, GDF3 and MEOX1 implicated in congenital forms. Symptoms range widely and include vertigo, chronic headaches, tinnitus, facial pain, neck pain and dizziness, and treatment options include neck braces, pain medication, physical therapy and surgery, with surgical intervention reported to reduce symptoms, particularly neck pain, in 93 to 100 percent of patients.