Retropharyngeal Tendinitis May be More Common Than We Think: A Report on 45 Cases Seen in Danish Chiropractic Clinics

ObjectiveThis study presents information from 45 cases of retropharyngeal tendinitis that were collected in Danish chiropractic clinics.MethodsA practicing Danish chiropractor collected cases of retropharyngeal tendinitis from colleagues who were members of the Danish Society of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics. Only cases where a patient history of acute severe neck pain, cervical stiffness, and dysphagia were considered, and these were supplemented with imaging in the form of x-rays, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging scans. All cases were reviewed independently by the chiropractor and a medical radiologist with a specialty in musculoskeletal disorders before acceptance into this case series.ResultsForty-five cases fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Sixteen of these were recruited from a single chiropractic practice. Nineteen were males and 26 were females with an average age of 48 years. All but 2 patients had the characteristic depositions of calcium hydroxyapatite in the tendon of the longus colli muscle, and the average diameter of the retropharyngeal space was 8.1 mm.ConclusionsPatients presenting with a triad of acute severe neck pan, stiff neck, and dysphagia may have retropharyngeal tendinitis. This condition may be a more common than previously thought among patients presenting with acute neck pain in the primary health care sector.