Not your common neck pain: Longus coli tendonitis

Longus coli tendonitis is a rare etiology of neck pain, occurring so infrequently that a prevalence is difficult to determine. Typical symptoms include neck pain, neck stiffness and an elevation of inflammatory markers, raising a concern for an infectious etiology. Radiographic imaging is essential to establish a diagnosis and differentiate between life-threatening infectious pathologies, including meningitis and abscesses leading to airway compromise. We present a rare case of longus coli tendonitis, initially thought to be infectious. Our case highlights the importance of multimodal imaging for diagnosis and maintaining a broad differential when presented with concerning symptoms.