This condition can be fatal if not immediately treated. Another longer term complication of pericarditis, if it recurs over a longer period of time (normally more than 3 months), is progression to constrictive pericarditis. Recent studies have shown this to be an uncommon complication. The definitive treatment for constrictive pericarditis is pericardial stripping, which is a surgical procedure where the entire pericardium is peeled away from the heart. References
Further reading
Chugh, S. N. (2014-05-14). Textbook of Clinical Electrocardiography. Jaypee Brothers Publishers. ISBN 9789350906088. == External links ==
Differential diagnosis
Neck pain may come from any of the structures in the neck including: vascular, nerve, airway, digestive, and musculature / skeletal, or be referred from other areas of the body.Major and severe causes of neck pain (roughly in order of severity) include:

Carotid artery dissection
Referred pain from acute coronary syndrome
Head and neck cancer
Infections, including:
Meningitis of several types including sudden onset of severe neck or back pain particularly in teens and young adults which may be fatal if not treated quickly
Retropharyngeal abscess
Epiglottitis
Spinal disc herniation – protruding or bulging discs, or if severe prolapse. Spondylosis - degenerative arthritis and osteophytes
Spinal stenosis – a narrowing of the spinal canalMore common and lesser neck pain causes include:

Stress – physical and emotional stresses
Prolonged postures – many people fall asleep on sofas and chairs and wake up with sore necks. Minor injuries and falls – car accidents, sporting events, and day to day injuries that are really minor. Referred pain – mostly from upper back problems
Over-use – muscular strain is one of the most common causes
Whiplash
Pinched nerveAlthough the causes are numerous, most are easily rectified by either professional help or using self help advice and techniques. More causes can include: poor sleeping posture, torticollis, head injury, rheumatoid arthritis,
Carotidynia, congenital cervical rib, mononucleosis, rubella, certain cancers, ankylosing spondylitis,
cervical spine fracture, esophageal trauma, subarachnoid hemorrhage, lymphadenitis, thyroid trauma, and tracheal trauma. Treatment
Treatment of neck pain depends on the cause. For the vast majority of people, neck pain can be treated conservatively. Recommendations in which it helps alleviate symptoms include applying heat or cold.