Muscle strain in your neck happens as a result of injury or inflammation to muscles, joints, nerves, or otherstructures in the spine. For example, a strained ligament or “pinched” nerve can lead to neck pain.Most of the time, these neck pain causes are easily treated. It’s still important to see your healthcare provider for a proper evaluation and not try to self-diagnose your neck pain.This article presents five common neck pain causes and their treatment, along with common symptoms to help identify them. It offers a few lifestyle changes that may reduce the muscle strain to your neck.Verywell / Hugo Lin
Muscle strain in your neck happens as a result of injury or inflammation to muscles, joints, nerves, or otherstructures in the spine. For example, a strained ligament or “pinched” nerve can lead to neck pain.
Most of the time, these neck pain causes are easily treated. It’s still important to see your healthcare provider for a proper evaluation and not try to self-diagnose your neck pain.
This article presents five common neck pain causes and their treatment, along with common symptoms to help identify them. It offers a few lifestyle changes that may reduce the muscle strain to your neck.
Verywell / Hugo Lin
Sprain or StrainAneck sprainoccurs when the ligaments that connect the vertebrae in your neck are overstretched or torn. A neck strain is a pulled muscle in the neck, or similar injury to a tendon. These two types of neck injuries share symptoms and are generally treated similarly.Ligaments are bands of tissue that connect bone to bone, whereas a tendon is a band of tissue that connects muscle to bone.A sudden neck movement, like from a car accident or fall, is usually the culprit behind a neck strain or sprain. However, everyday habits such as poor posture or awkward sleeping positions can also cause these two types of neck injuries.SymptomsSymptoms of a neck strain or sprain may include:Neck pain with movementNeck stiffness, sometimes described as a “crick in the neck"Muscle spasms and pain in the upper shoulderReduced neck flexibilityBe sure to seek medical attention right away if your neck pain is severe, or is associated with a headache or neurological symptoms like numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms or hands.DiagnosisA neck strain or sprain can usually be diagnosed with a medical history and physical examination alone. Imaging tests are really only used to rule out alternative diagnoses.Muscle Tightness in Upper Crossed SyndromeTreatmentThe pain and inflammation of a neck strain or sprain can generally be eased with ice and taking anonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Other home remedies and lifestyle changes to try include:Massaging a pulled neck muscle for pain reliefDoing exercises to strengthen the head and neckChanging yoursleep routineto ensure enough restUsing fewer pillows to better align your neck when you sleepMoving around more often to limit the impacts of poor postureIf you have eyeglasses, making sure your vision care is currentImprovingergonomicswhile at your desk or working on laptopHow Long Does It Take for a Neck Strain to Heal?Most neck strains or sprains will heal in a matter of days or weeks. After an injury or surgery, special exercises can help to strengthen the spine. This conditioning typically lasts for four to six weeks, but may vary based on your healthcare provider’s recommendation.Visualizing Neck Muscles on a Diagram
Sprain or Strain
Aneck sprainoccurs when the ligaments that connect the vertebrae in your neck are overstretched or torn. A neck strain is a pulled muscle in the neck, or similar injury to a tendon. These two types of neck injuries share symptoms and are generally treated similarly.
Ligaments are bands of tissue that connect bone to bone, whereas a tendon is a band of tissue that connects muscle to bone.
A sudden neck movement, like from a car accident or fall, is usually the culprit behind a neck strain or sprain. However, everyday habits such as poor posture or awkward sleeping positions can also cause these two types of neck injuries.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a neck strain or sprain may include:
Be sure to seek medical attention right away if your neck pain is severe, or is associated with a headache or neurological symptoms like numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms or hands.
Diagnosis
A neck strain or sprain can usually be diagnosed with a medical history and physical examination alone. Imaging tests are really only used to rule out alternative diagnoses.
Muscle Tightness in Upper Crossed Syndrome
Treatment
The pain and inflammation of a neck strain or sprain can generally be eased with ice and taking anonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Other home remedies and lifestyle changes to try include:
Improvingergonomicswhile at your desk or working on laptop
How Long Does It Take for a Neck Strain to Heal?Most neck strains or sprains will heal in a matter of days or weeks. After an injury or surgery, special exercises can help to strengthen the spine. This conditioning typically lasts for four to six weeks, but may vary based on your healthcare provider’s recommendation.
How Long Does It Take for a Neck Strain to Heal?
Most neck strains or sprains will heal in a matter of days or weeks. After an injury or surgery, special exercises can help to strengthen the spine. This conditioning typically lasts for four to six weeks, but may vary based on your healthcare provider’s recommendation.
Visualizing Neck Muscles on a Diagram
Degenerative Disc DiseaseCervicaldegenerative disc diseaserefers to “wear and tear” changes to your neck that occur in the cervical spine discs as a normal part of aging.SymptomsCervical degenerative disc disease causes no symptoms in many cases.However, if symptoms are present, they usually include neck pain and stiffness that may get worse with movement.Spinal degenerative changes progress with aging, notably with narrowing of the space between the discs and bone spur formation. This means that compression of spinal nerve roots may occur.This compression, calledcervical radiculopathy, may cause symptoms of numbness, tingling, and weakness in the arms and hands.If the spinal cord becomes compressed as a result of degenerative changes, a person may develop other difficulties because ofcervical myelopathy. These problems include:Trouble walkingBalance problemsBladder or bowel dysfunctionDiagnosisIn addition to a medical history and physical examination, imaging tests are sometimes performed to confirm a diagnosis of cervical degenerative disc disease. Some of these tests may include:X-rayMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)MyelogramElectromyography (EMG)TreatmentTreatment of cervical degenerative disc disease depends on the severity of the symptoms, as well as whether any neurologic symptoms are present.Typically, treatment with NSAIDs, ice, heat therapy, and physical therapy are recommended initially. Steroid injections can also offer short-term relief.With severe and/or persistent cases of degenerative disc disease, especially for nerve root or spinal cord involvement, surgery to alleviate the pressure is performed.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Cervicaldegenerative disc diseaserefers to “wear and tear” changes to your neck that occur in the cervical spine discs as a normal part of aging.
Cervical degenerative disc disease causes no symptoms in many cases.However, if symptoms are present, they usually include neck pain and stiffness that may get worse with movement.
Spinal degenerative changes progress with aging, notably with narrowing of the space between the discs and bone spur formation. This means that compression of spinal nerve roots may occur.
This compression, calledcervical radiculopathy, may cause symptoms of numbness, tingling, and weakness in the arms and hands.
If the spinal cord becomes compressed as a result of degenerative changes, a person may develop other difficulties because ofcervical myelopathy. These problems include:
In addition to a medical history and physical examination, imaging tests are sometimes performed to confirm a diagnosis of cervical degenerative disc disease. Some of these tests may include:
Treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease depends on the severity of the symptoms, as well as whether any neurologic symptoms are present.
Typically, treatment with NSAIDs, ice, heat therapy, and physical therapy are recommended initially. Steroid injections can also offer short-term relief.
With severe and/or persistent cases of degenerative disc disease, especially for nerve root or spinal cord involvement, surgery to alleviate the pressure is performed.
Osteoarthritis
Cervical osteoarthritis often accompanies cervical degenerative disc disease.
Symptoms of cervical osteoarthritis include neck stiffness and achy pain that is often localized to one spot. Less commonly, the pain may spread to the shoulder or back of the head. The neck pain from cervical osteoarthritis tends to improve with rest.
As with cervical degenerative disc disease, if the “wear and tear” changes within the facet joint cause nerve root or spinal cord compression, symptoms of radiculopathy and myelopathy, respectively, may develop.
How do I know if neck pain is serious?
Besides a medical history and physical examination, a computed tomography (CT) scan or MRI test can reveal the classic findings of cervical osteoarthritis such as narrowing of the facet joint space, bone erosions, and bone spur formation.
Keep in mind that facet joint changes seen on an imaging test do not necessarily correlate with the presence or severity of a person’s neck pain.
Sometimes, a cervical facet injection is performed. This is a procedure where a healthcare provider injects a steroid and/or a numbing agent into the facet joint. Any relief of pain can then help to establish the diagnosis.
The treatment of cervical osteoarthritis entails the following therapies:
Surgery may be an option for patients who have severe pain despite the above-mentioned conservative therapies, or if symptoms of radiculopathy or myelopathy are present.
Herniated Disc
Aherniated discoccurs when the soft, rubbery substance that is normally contained to the inside of the disc (called thenucleus pulposus) escapes, and pinches or compresses on a nerve root.
People with a herniated disc report symptoms of nerve root compression (radiculopathy) described as a burning or electric shock sensation that moves down one arm, along with numbness and/or weakness.
Treatment of a herniated disc generally includes:
Much less commonly, surgery to remove the herniated disc (called a cervical diskectomy) is performed.
Whiplash Injury
Whiplash injury is not technically a medical diagnosis, but rather an episode that can lead to any number of diagnoses, usually a neck strain or sprain. Sometimes, a whiplash injury damages joints or discs, which in turn may irritate spinal nerve roots or, very rarely, the spinal cord.
Depending on the exact nature of the injury, whiplash symptoms may include:
Thesymptoms of a whiplash injurymay be felt right after the injury or be delayed for up to several days.
The diagnosis of whiplash injury requires a comprehensive approach including a medical history, physical exam, and imaging tests, such as X-rays or MRIs of the neck.
Whiplash injuries are graded, based on the symptoms and signs they cause.
Grade 4 strains are the most serious of all and require immediate medical attention.
The treatment of whiplash depends on the grade of the injury and associated neck damage. That said, in most cases, a combination of treatments is used.
Common therapies used to treat a mild whiplash injury include:
For more severe or persistent cases, your healthcare provider may prescribe pain medications, such as a muscle relaxant or opioid. Your healthcare provider may also recommend physical therapy or an epidural injection if there is nerve inflammation from a herniated disc because of the whiplash injury.
Is Cracking Your Neck Bad for You?SummaryA variety of conditions and injuries can cause neck pain. Most of the time, these can be treated easily, but discussing these treatment options with your healthcare provider is still important. Generally speaking,rest, icing the neck, and over-the-counter pain medicationare recommended. In severe cases, your healthcare provider will use diagnostic tests to determine the cause and may prescribe muscle relaxants if needed.Tech Neck: 3 Simple Exercises to Improve Your Posture and Relieve Pain
Is Cracking Your Neck Bad for You?
Summary
A variety of conditions and injuries can cause neck pain. Most of the time, these can be treated easily, but discussing these treatment options with your healthcare provider is still important. Generally speaking,rest, icing the neck, and over-the-counter pain medicationare recommended. In severe cases, your healthcare provider will use diagnostic tests to determine the cause and may prescribe muscle relaxants if needed.
Tech Neck: 3 Simple Exercises to Improve Your Posture and Relieve Pain
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Neck Sprain.Harvard Health.6 ways to ease neck pain.Skelly AC, Chou R, Dettori JR, Turner JA, Friedly JL, Rundell SD, et al.Noninvasive Nonpharmacological Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review Update. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Report No.: 20-EHC009. PMID: 32338846.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Spine Conditioning Program.Brinjikji W.Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations.AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Apr;36(4):811-6. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A4173American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Cervical Spondylosis (Arthritis of the Neck).Gelhorn AC, Katz JN, Suri P.Osteoarthritis of the spine: the facet joints.Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2013 Apr;9(4):216-24. doi: 10.1038/nrrheum.2012.199Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Neck pain information.Isaac Z, Kelly HR.Evaluation of the adult patient with neck pain. In: UpToDate, Atlas SJ (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA.Fu Kai-Ming.Spine-health: Cervical Osteoarthritis Treatment.Manchikanti L, Cash KA, Pampati V, Malla Y.Fluoroscopic cervical epidural injections in chronic axial or disc-related neck pain without disc herniation, facet joint pain, or radiculitis. J Pain Res. 2012;5:227-36. doi:10.2147/JPR.S32692American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Herniated disc in the lower back.Tanaka N, Atesok K, Nakanishi K, Kamei N, Nakamae T, Kotaka S,et al.Pathology and Treatment of Traumatic Cervical Spine Syndrome: Whiplash Injury.Adv Orthop. 2018;2018:4765050. doi: 10.1155/2018/4765050Bussières A.The Treatment of Neck Pain-Associated Disorders and Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Clinical Practice Guideline.J Manipulative Physiol Ther.Oct. 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.08.007
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Neck Sprain.Harvard Health.6 ways to ease neck pain.Skelly AC, Chou R, Dettori JR, Turner JA, Friedly JL, Rundell SD, et al.Noninvasive Nonpharmacological Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review Update. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Report No.: 20-EHC009. PMID: 32338846.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Spine Conditioning Program.Brinjikji W.Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations.AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Apr;36(4):811-6. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A4173American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Cervical Spondylosis (Arthritis of the Neck).Gelhorn AC, Katz JN, Suri P.Osteoarthritis of the spine: the facet joints.Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2013 Apr;9(4):216-24. doi: 10.1038/nrrheum.2012.199Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Neck pain information.Isaac Z, Kelly HR.Evaluation of the adult patient with neck pain. In: UpToDate, Atlas SJ (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA.Fu Kai-Ming.Spine-health: Cervical Osteoarthritis Treatment.Manchikanti L, Cash KA, Pampati V, Malla Y.Fluoroscopic cervical epidural injections in chronic axial or disc-related neck pain without disc herniation, facet joint pain, or radiculitis. J Pain Res. 2012;5:227-36. doi:10.2147/JPR.S32692American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Herniated disc in the lower back.Tanaka N, Atesok K, Nakanishi K, Kamei N, Nakamae T, Kotaka S,et al.Pathology and Treatment of Traumatic Cervical Spine Syndrome: Whiplash Injury.Adv Orthop. 2018;2018:4765050. doi: 10.1155/2018/4765050Bussières A.The Treatment of Neck Pain-Associated Disorders and Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Clinical Practice Guideline.J Manipulative Physiol Ther.Oct. 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.08.007
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Neck Sprain.Harvard Health.6 ways to ease neck pain.Skelly AC, Chou R, Dettori JR, Turner JA, Friedly JL, Rundell SD, et al.Noninvasive Nonpharmacological Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review Update. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Report No.: 20-EHC009. PMID: 32338846.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Spine Conditioning Program.Brinjikji W.Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations.AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Apr;36(4):811-6. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A4173American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Cervical Spondylosis (Arthritis of the Neck).Gelhorn AC, Katz JN, Suri P.Osteoarthritis of the spine: the facet joints.Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2013 Apr;9(4):216-24. doi: 10.1038/nrrheum.2012.199Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Neck pain information.Isaac Z, Kelly HR.Evaluation of the adult patient with neck pain. In: UpToDate, Atlas SJ (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA.Fu Kai-Ming.Spine-health: Cervical Osteoarthritis Treatment.Manchikanti L, Cash KA, Pampati V, Malla Y.Fluoroscopic cervical epidural injections in chronic axial or disc-related neck pain without disc herniation, facet joint pain, or radiculitis. J Pain Res. 2012;5:227-36. doi:10.2147/JPR.S32692American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Herniated disc in the lower back.Tanaka N, Atesok K, Nakanishi K, Kamei N, Nakamae T, Kotaka S,et al.Pathology and Treatment of Traumatic Cervical Spine Syndrome: Whiplash Injury.Adv Orthop. 2018;2018:4765050. doi: 10.1155/2018/4765050Bussières A.The Treatment of Neck Pain-Associated Disorders and Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Clinical Practice Guideline.J Manipulative Physiol Ther.Oct. 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.08.007
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Neck Sprain.
Harvard Health.6 ways to ease neck pain.
Skelly AC, Chou R, Dettori JR, Turner JA, Friedly JL, Rundell SD, et al.Noninvasive Nonpharmacological Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review Update. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Report No.: 20-EHC009. PMID: 32338846.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Spine Conditioning Program.
Brinjikji W.Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations.AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Apr;36(4):811-6. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A4173
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Cervical Spondylosis (Arthritis of the Neck).
Gelhorn AC, Katz JN, Suri P.Osteoarthritis of the spine: the facet joints.Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2013 Apr;9(4):216-24. doi: 10.1038/nrrheum.2012.199
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Neck pain information.
Isaac Z, Kelly HR.Evaluation of the adult patient with neck pain. In: UpToDate, Atlas SJ (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA.
Fu Kai-Ming.Spine-health: Cervical Osteoarthritis Treatment.
Manchikanti L, Cash KA, Pampati V, Malla Y.Fluoroscopic cervical epidural injections in chronic axial or disc-related neck pain without disc herniation, facet joint pain, or radiculitis. J Pain Res. 2012;5:227-36. doi:10.2147/JPR.S32692
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Herniated disc in the lower back.
Tanaka N, Atesok K, Nakanishi K, Kamei N, Nakamae T, Kotaka S,et al.Pathology and Treatment of Traumatic Cervical Spine Syndrome: Whiplash Injury.Adv Orthop. 2018;2018:4765050. doi: 10.1155/2018/4765050
Bussières A.The Treatment of Neck Pain-Associated Disorders and Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Clinical Practice Guideline.J Manipulative Physiol Ther.Oct. 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.08.007
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
