Neck pain
Pain - neck; Neck stiffness; Cervicalgia; Whiplash; Stiff neckNeck pain is discomfort in any of the structures in the neck. These include the muscles, nerves, bones (vertebrae), joints, and the discs between the bones.
Considerations
When your neck is sore, you may have difficulty moving it, such as turning to one side. Many people describe this as having a stiff neck.
If neck pain involves compression of your nerves, you may feel numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm or hand.
Causes
A common cause of neck pain is muscle strain or tension. Most often, everyday activities are to blame. Such activities include:
- Bending over a desk for a long time (often an hour or more)
- Having poor posture while watching TV or reading
- Having your computer monitor positioned too high or too low
- Sleeping in an uncomfortable position
- Twisting and turning your neck in a jarring manner while exercising
- Lifting things too quickly or with poor posture
Accidents or falls can cause severe neck injuries, such as vertebral fractures, whiplash, blood vessel injury, and even paralysis.
Other causes include:
- Medical conditions, such as fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition in which a person has long-term pain that is spread throughout their body. The pain is most often accompanied by fatigue...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Cervical arthritis or spondylosis
Spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis is a disorder in which there is wear on the cartilage (disks) and bones of the neck (cervical vertebrae). It is a common cause ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Ruptured disk
Ruptured disk
A herniated (slipped) disk occurs when all or part of a disk is forced through a weakened part of the disk. This may place pressure on nearby nerves...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Small fractures to the spine from osteoporosis
Small fractures to the spine
Compression fractures of the back are broken vertebrae. Vertebrae are the bones of the spine.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleOsteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break (fracture).
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
Spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis is narrowing of the spinal column that causes pressure on the spinal cord, or narrowing of the openings (called neural foramina) wher...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Sprains
Sprains
A sprain is an injury to the ligaments around a joint. Ligaments are strong, flexible fibers that hold bones together. When a ligament is stretched...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Infection of the spine (osteomyelitis, diskitis, abscess)
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is a bone infection. It is caused by bacteria or other germs.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleDiskitis
Diskitis is swelling (inflammation) and irritation of the space between the bones of the spine (intervertebral disk space).
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleAbscess
Spinal cord abscess is the swelling and irritation (inflammation) and the collection of infected material (pus) and germs in or around the spinal cor...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Torticollis
Torticollis
Torticollis is a condition in which the neck muscles cause the head to tilt, turn or rotate to the side.
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Home Care
Treatment and self-care for your neck pain depend on the cause of the pain. You will need to learn:
Self-care
You have been diagnosed with neck pain. Your symptoms may be caused by muscle strains or spasms, arthritis in your spine, a bulging disc, or narrowe...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article- How to relieve the pain
- What your activity level should be
- What medicines you can take
Medicines you can take
Acute back pain often goes away on its own over several weeks. In some people, back pain persists. It may not go away completely or it may get more...
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For minor, common causes of neck pain:
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
Over-the-counter pain relievers
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers can help relieve pain or lower a fever. Over-the-counter means you can buy these medicines without a prescript...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Apply heat or ice to the painful area. Use ice for the first 48 to 72 hours, and then use heat after that.
- Apply heat with warm showers, warm compresses, or a heating pad. To prevent injury to your skin, DO NOT fall asleep with a heating pad or ice bag in place.
- Stop normal physical activity for the first few days. This helps calm your symptoms and reduce inflammation.
- Do slow range-of-motion exercises, up and down, side to side, and from ear to ear. This helps gently stretch the neck muscles.
- Have a partner gently massage the sore or painful areas.
- Try sleeping on a firm mattress with a pillow that supports your neck. You may want to get a special neck pillow.
- Ask your health care provider about using a soft neck collar to relieve discomfort. However, using collar for a long time can weaken neck muscles. Take it off from time to time to allow the muscles to get stronger.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Seek medical help right away if you have:
- A fever and headache, and your neck is so stiff that you cannot touch your chin to your chest. This may indicate meningitis. Call 911 or the local emergency number or get to a hospital.
Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This covering is called the meninges.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Symptoms of a heart attack, such as shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, vomiting, or arm or jaw pain.
Heart attack
Most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. ...
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Sweating is the release of liquid from the body's sweat glands. This liquid contains salt. This process is also called perspiration. Sweating helps...
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Nausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...
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Contact your provider if:
- Symptoms do not go away in 1 week with self-care
- You have numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm or hand
- Your neck pain was caused by a fall, blow, or injury -- if you cannot move your arm or hand, have someone call 911 or the local emergency number
- You have swollen glands or a lump in your neck
Swollen glands
Lymph nodes are present throughout your body. They are an important part of your immune system. Lymph nodes help your body recognize and fight germ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Your pain does not go away with regular doses of over-the-counter pain medicine
- You have difficulty swallowing or breathing along with the neck pain
- The pain gets worse when you lie down or wakes you up at night
- Your pain is so severe that you cannot get comfortable
- You lose control over urination or bowel movements
- You have trouble walking and balancing
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask about your neck pain, including how often it occurs and how much it hurts.
Your provider will probably not order any tests during the first visit. Tests are only done if you have symptoms or a medical history that suggests a tumor, infection, fracture, or serious nerve disorder. In that case, the following tests may be done:
- X-rays of the neck
X-rays of the neck
A neck x-ray is an imaging test to look at the cervical vertebrae. These are the 7 bones of the spine in the neck.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - CT scan of the neck or head
CT scan of the neck
A head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC)
CBC
A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - MRI of the neck
MRI of the neck
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the body. It does not us...
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If the pain is due to muscle spasm or a pinched nerve, your provider may prescribe a muscle relaxant or a more powerful pain reliever. Over-the-counter medicines often work as well as prescription drugs. At times, your provider may give you steroids to reduce swelling. If there is nerve damage, your provider may refer you to a neurologist, neurosurgeon, or orthopedic surgeon for consultation.
References
Hudgins TH, Origenes AK, Pleuhs B, Alleva JT. Cervical sprain or strain. In: Frontera WR, Silver JK, Rizzo TD Jr, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pain, and Rehabilitation. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 6.
Kosty J, Nasser R, Vasquez RA, Wong CC, Cheng JS. Neck pain. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzky GA, McInnes IB, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein & Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier;2021:chap 48.
Ronthal M. Arm and neck pain. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 32.
Neck pain - illustration
The spinal vertebrae are separated by cartilage disks filled with a gelatinous substance, that provide cushioning to the spinal column. These disks may move out of place or rupture from trauma or strain, especially if degenerative changes have occurred in the disk. When the disk moves out of place nerve roots (large nerves that branch out from the spinal cord) may become compressed resulting in neurological symptoms, such as pain, sensory and motor changes.
Neck pain
illustration
Whiplash - illustration
The pain of whiplash may not appear right away after an accident, but sometimes may take hours to weeks to develop. Symptoms include dizziness, headache, pain or stiffness in the neck, jaw, shoulders, or arms.
Whiplash
illustration
Location of whiplash pain - illustration
Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissues of the neck. Whiplash injury strains the muscles and ligaments of the neck beyond their normal range of motion. There is often pain and stiffness in the neck for the first few days following a whiplash injury. The pain can also be felt in the surrounding muscle groups in the head, chest, shoulders, and arms.
Location of whiplash pain
illustration
Neck pain - illustration
The spinal vertebrae are separated by cartilage disks filled with a gelatinous substance, that provide cushioning to the spinal column. These disks may move out of place or rupture from trauma or strain, especially if degenerative changes have occurred in the disk. When the disk moves out of place nerve roots (large nerves that branch out from the spinal cord) may become compressed resulting in neurological symptoms, such as pain, sensory and motor changes.
Neck pain
illustration
Whiplash - illustration
The pain of whiplash may not appear right away after an accident, but sometimes may take hours to weeks to develop. Symptoms include dizziness, headache, pain or stiffness in the neck, jaw, shoulders, or arms.
Whiplash
illustration
Location of whiplash pain - illustration
Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissues of the neck. Whiplash injury strains the muscles and ligaments of the neck beyond their normal range of motion. There is often pain and stiffness in the neck for the first few days following a whiplash injury. The pain can also be felt in the surrounding muscle groups in the head, chest, shoulders, and arms.
Location of whiplash pain
illustration
Review Date: 2/8/2024
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.