Crepitus neck is the crunching, grinding, or popping sound produced when you move your neck. These sounds are indicative of the presence of air trapped in the joints or subcutaneous tissue.
Snap, CrackleWhat’s That Popping Sound? Many of our patients ask about popping noises that come from joints. Most of these stories describe the ankle and they say something like, “see I can make it pop all the time when I do this.”. Vintage cereal commercial from 50's (probably) with snap crackle and pop!
The sliding of a tendon or muscle over bone can produce a cracking sound as you turn your head, though if the noise is accompanied by pain, it may be a symptom of an underlying issue. Potential complications of crepitus neck, as well as causes, symptoms, and even remedies for this condition will be explored in this article.
Arthritis of the neck: Cervical osteoarthritis (cervical spondylosis)
Cervical osteoarthritis, or cervical spondylosis, occurs mostly in middle-aged and elderly people, and is a condition where the joints of the neck begin to deteriorate due to the natural wear-and-tear associated with aging. As you age, the discs of the cervical spine lose fluid, become stiffer, and start to break down. This causes neck pain, stiffness, and crepitus due to the grinding of the bones.
Crepitus neck symptoms
Common symptoms of neck crepitus include pain when moving your neck or head, neck stiffness, and a reduced range of motion. Generally speaking, crepitus is only heard by the person experiencing it and can only be heard with the movement of the neck. Those with crepitus neck may also experience headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and weakness or numbness in the upper extremities.
What causes neck cracking and popping?
The snapping or grinding of your neck may be caused by:
Synovial fluid changes. The synovial fluid between your joints lubricates movement, and when the pressure changes in this fluid, it creates gaseous bubbles. According to a 2015 study, the creation of these bubbles makes a cracking or popping sound.
Ligament or tendon movement. When tendons and ligaments move over bone, they can make a snapping sound that is heard when you move your joints.
Bone grinding. If the cartilage in the joints has worn down enough, the grinding or cracking sound you hear may be due to the bones grinding against each other.
When neck cracking and popping needs medical attention
If your crepitus neck is accompanied by any of the following factors, you should seek the advice of your doctor as it may be indicative of a more serious issue.
Pain and/or swelling. This may indicate the presence of inflammation and osteoarthritis.
Recent injury. If your crepitus occurs after a recent accident of injury, it may mean that there has been damage to the structure of you neck.
Frequent or constant. If the cracking and grinding noise can be recreated every time you move your head/neck, then it may be telling of an issue with joint function.
Recent surgery. After surgery on the cervical spine, crepitus may occur weeks later. While these new sounds may not mean anything serious, it is important to inform your surgeon so they can assess your symptoms.
Neck cracking and popping complications
While medical literature assures us that the repeated cracking of any synovial joints—including the neck—will not increase the risk of arthritis, it may cause other complications. In rare instances, manipulation of the cervical spine may cause vertebral artery dissection that can result in a stroke.
How to get rid of crepitus neck?
If the sound of grinding is accompanied by pain or swelling, you should see your doctor. They may diagnose you with arthritis and prescribe a suitable treatment regimen. If the crepitus is accompanied by stiffness and is due to muscle tension, then a gentle massage may be enough to ease symptoms. In some cases, a cervical collar or brace may be recommended as a treatment.
While it may sound alarming, crepitus neck on its own is rarely serious. However, if you hear cracking and grinding and feel pain or swelling, or have suffered a recent injury or undergone surgery, it is advisable to seek the advice of your doctor to ensure it isn’t a sign of a more serious condition.
Related: How to get rid of a crick in your neck
Many of our patients ask about popping noises that come from joints. Most of these stories describe the ankle and they say something like, “see I can make it pop all the time when I do this.” This is where they lift up a pant leg and draw a circle with their foot to rotate the ankle and sure enough a pop will occur. Answering the question of: ‘What’s the popping?’ needs to be carefully evaluated.
The first thing we ask – Does it hurt? A painful popping is very different than a painless one. Typically a painless popping at the ankle joint is due to one or two muscle tendons (peroneal tendons) that start in your lower leg and cross the ankle to attach in your foot. When these tendons get pulled taught they may slip out of their anatomical groove at the back of the outer part of your ankle (peroneal groove of the fibula) or another area a little lower on the side of the heel bone (trochlear process of the calcaneus). When they slip out, or more likely slip back into place, they make an audible and ‘snap’ or ‘pop’ that is usually also felt. When this is performed without pain or history of injury to the area it is most likely nothing to worry about. However, these noises can mean much more if they are associated with pain or injury.
A painful popping is typically associated with a prior injury and may need further investigation. After tendon injury scar tissue can develop which can cause thickening and prevent it from resting in its normal area allowing it to ‘pop‘ out. Another possibility is that the popping is from an entirely different source like cartilage, bone, a bad joint, or something else. Because of the possibilities it is very important to find out the source and then discuss what to do about it.
Snap Crackle And Pop Are Examples Of This
At Sole Foot and Ankle Specialists, we can employ a variety of means to identify the cause of painful popping. Along with a thorough clinical examination we can use x-ray, CT, MRI, or other means to identify what is causing the sound. We can then combine these results with your history of injury or activity then decide what needs to be done about it.
Snap Crackle And Pop Costumes
If you or someone you know is experiencing painful or unusual popping, or hopefully not ‘other’ sounds in your foot or ankle we are here to help. Call to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jay Larson at Sole Foot And Ankle Specialists.