1.   An arterial dissection starts with a tear inside one of the major arteries in the neck.

2.   Any sudden, abrupt neck movement or extreme neck position can cause an arterial dissection in a susceptible person.

3.   Arterial dissections were once thought to be extremely rare and were usually detected only at autopsy.

4.   It is critically important to respond quickly to the early warning signs of an arterial dissection.

5.   There is, however, a small risk that once there has been an arterial dissection, the disorder will occur in another artery.