In short
Most neck pain comes from muscles and joints and gets better within weeks with movement and time. Pain spreading down the arm with pins and needles may mean a pinched nerve. Clumsy hands, trouble walking, or neck pain with fever and a headache need urgent assessment.
On this page
How common is neck pain?
Very common. Most people have neck pain at some point, and for many it comes and goes over the years. Most neck pain is not caused by serious damage, and most episodes improve within weeks.
Common causes
- Muscle and joint pain. Often called non-specific or mechanical neck pain. It’s linked to sustained postures, screen work, sleeping awkwardly, stress and sudden movements.
- Whiplash. Neck pain after a car accident or other sudden jolt. Most people recover, though some have pain for longer.
- Age-related changes. Wear in the discs and joints is common on scans after middle age, often without any pain at all.
- A pinched nerve. Pain spreading into the shoulder, arm or hand, often with pins and needles, numbness or weakness. See pinched nerve in the neck.
Pain that isn’t settling?
Talk it through with an Australian doctor online. No referral needed.
Neck and shoulder pain together
The neck and shoulders share muscles, so pain often spreads between them. Pain from the neck can also be felt over the shoulder blade or upper arm. If it’s mainly the shoulder joint that hurts, especially when lifting your arm, see shoulder pain.
Neck pain relief
- Keep moving. Gentle neck movements in all directions help more than holding your neck still.
- Exercise. Strengthening and stretching exercises for the neck and upper back have good evidence for ongoing neck pain, especially when guided by a physiotherapist.
- Heat can ease muscle tension.
- Breaks from screens and driving, and a workstation that lets you look straight ahead.
- Pillows. No pillow is proven best. Choose one that keeps your neck roughly in line with your spine in your usual sleeping position.
- Stress and sleep. Both influence how much your neck hurts.
Do I need a scan?
Usually not. Scans are used when there are warning signs, after significant trauma, or when nerve symptoms aren’t improving and a procedure is being considered.
When to get help
See a GP if neck pain is severe, isn’t improving after a few weeks, spreads into your arm with numbness or weakness, or keeps coming back.
Get urgent help for neck pain with:
- clumsy hands, trouble walking or balance problems, which can mean pressure on the spinal cord
- fever, headache and a stiff neck, which can mean meningitis
- a sudden severe headache
- a recent significant injury, such as a fall or car accident
- chest pain or breathlessness
Next step: talk to a doctor
Answer a few quick questions and you’ll get an email about your eligibility. A consultation doesn’t guarantee any particular treatment.
References
- Cohen SP, Hooten WM. Advances in the diagnosis and management of neck pain. BMJ. 2017;358:j3221.
- Iyer S, Kim HJ. Cervical radiculopathy. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2016;9(3):272-80.
- healthdirect. Neck pain.
- Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). Neck pain.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t replace a consultation with a doctor who knows your history. In an emergency, call 000.