A man in the barrel with neck pain.

A 38-year-old man presented with an abrupt onset of occipital and neck pain, radiating to both shoulders. The pain was accompanied by inability to lift his arms against gravity (the "man-in-the-barrel" syndrome). These symptoms were associated with bilateral hand paresthesias, right-sided throbbing headache, vertigo, nausea, and vomiting. All symptoms resolved within 30 minutes, but arm weakness recurred. The differential diagnosis and historical origins of the "man-in-the-barrel" syndrome are reviewed.