[citation needed] The condition can cause neural injury and compression of nearby structures, including the brain stem, spinal cord, vagus nerve, and vertebral artery, resulting in a constellation of symptoms.
Craniocervical instability is more common in people with a connective tissue disease, including Ehlers-Danlos syndromes,[1] osteogenesis imperfecta, and rheumatoid arthritis.
[2] It is frequently co-morbid with atlanto-axial joint instability, Chiari malformation,[3] or tethered spinal cord syndrome.
The impact of craniocervical instability can range from minor symptoms to severe disability in which patients are bed-bound.
Conservative treatment of craniocervical instability includes physical therapy[10][11][better source needed] and the use of a cervical collar to keep the neck stable.