your condition neckNeck pain is a common complaint, affecting two thirds of people at some point in their lives, and up to 15% of the population at any one time. Studies suggest that, much like low back pain, patients with neck pain are likely to experience improvement and flareups.

Neck or cervical pain can take many forms, ranging from a dull ache to severe pain producing radiation of pain or numbness into the arms or fingers. Neck conditions can also produce headache, depending on the structures of the neck involved.

Neck pain has many causes, including:

  1. Côté P, Cassidy D, Carroll L. The Saskatchewan health and back pain survey: the prevalence of neck pain and related disability in Saskatchewan adults. Spine 1998;23:1689–1698.
  2. Côté P, Cassidy D, Carroll L, Kristman V. The annual incidence and course of neck pain in the general population: a population-based cohort study. Pain 2004: 112:267-273.