What causes neck pain?

The common causes

Many people have neck pain, and most of the time it is not a sign of a serious medical condition. The NHS lists the most common causes as the neck becoming locked in an awkward position during sleep, poor posture (for example sitting at a desk for a long time), a pinched nerve, and an injury such as whiplash from a traffic accident or fall. Mayo Clinic gives a similar list and adds worn joints and, rarely, certain diseases.

This page walks through those causes in plain terms. It covers general education only, and it cannot say what is behind any one person's pain. For the wider topic, see the neck and headaches section.

Muscle strain, posture and daily habits

The neck holds up the head and is less protected than the rest of the spine, which Mayo Clinic says makes it easy to injure. Sitting hunched over a computer, looking down at a phone or even reading in bed can pull on the neck muscles. Mayo Clinic also reports a recent study in which people who sat still for more than six hours a day were more likely to have neck pain, with a higher risk when that time was spent on a computer or smartphone.

Mayo Clinic describes the ideal as the head resting on top of the neck like a golf ball on a tee. Slouching or looking down adds extra pressure on the muscles, joints and discs of the neck (discs are the cushions between the bones of the spine). It also names repeating the same neck movements and stress, which may tighten the neck muscles, as risk factors, and notes that neck pain is more common after age 40. In its words, most neck pain is caused by a mix of poor posture and aging.

Worn joints, discs and nerves

As with other joints, neck joints tend to wear down with age, according to Mayo Clinic. Arthritis of the neck can cause pain and make the neck hard to move. A pinched nerve, also called nerve compression, happens when nearby tissue presses on a nerve. Mayo Clinic says bulging discs or bone spurs in the neck can do this, causing pain that may spread into the arms. Our page on a pinched nerve in the neck covers this in more detail.

Injury and illness

Car accidents, particularly those where the head jerks forward and backward, can hurt the soft tissues of the neck. This injury is called whiplash, and it has its own page: what is whiplash? Falls and sports injuries can also hurt the neck. Mayo Clinic notes that some diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis or cancer, can cause neck pain, but it presents these as less common explanations than strain and wear.

Headaches often travel with neck pain. Mayo Clinic lists headaches among the common symptoms of neck pain, and the NHS mentions neck pain alongside headaches in its tension headache advice. Whether the neck itself can be the source of a headache is a separate and debated question, discussed on can a problem in the neck cause headaches?

How long it lasts

The NHS says most neck pain only lasts a few weeks. Mayo Clinic does not give a single timeline but advises contacting a healthcare professional if pain does not get better after a few days. The two bodies set different thresholds, which is one reason it is sensible to ask a local clinician rather than rely on a single rule of thumb. Our page on when neck pain is serious sets out the warning signs in more detail.

When to get help

The NHS advises seeing a GP if neck pain or stiffness does not go away after a few weeks, if painkillers have not worked, if you are worried about the pain, or if you have other symptoms such as pins and needles or a cold arm, which could be something more serious. Mayo Clinic advises emergency medical care for severe neck pain after an injury such as a motor vehicle accident, a diving accident or a fall. It also advises contacting a healthcare professional if the pain is very intense, spreads into the arms or legs, or comes with a headache, numbness, weakness or tingling. Practice varies by country and by clinician, so follow the advice of your own doctor or local health service.