Your neck is comprised of several vertebrae bones, ligaments, and muscles extending from the skull to the upper torso. And between the vertebrae are shock absorbing pieces of tissue called cervical discs. All of these components allow your neck to act as a support to your head and permit movement.
Abnormalities, inflammation, or injury to this area can cause pain or stiffness in the neck. This is very common. Sometimes the cause is poor posture or overuse. Other times the cause is injury, such as a fall, contact sports, or whiplash. In most cases, neck pain isn’t serious and can be relieved in a matter of days. If symptoms do become serious, intervention by a physician may be required. If your neck pain continues beyond a week, is severe, or is accompanied by other worrisome symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.