Chronic neck pain is one of the most common forms of body pain.

Neck pain can occur for many reasons, including physical trauma (such as in a car accident or through other sudden injury), postural strain (which is due to bad posture of the neck) and, of course, medical issues such as fibromyalgia, cervical arthritis, ruptured disk, small fractures to the spine resulting from osteoporosis, cancer that involves the spine, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal cord), or infection of the spine.  Other causes of chronic neck pain include herniated (bulging) cervical disc,a malpositioned facet joint, which is one of the joints in the neck; disk degeneration or bone spurs can also lead to chronic neck pain.

The causes of chronic neck pain are not only physical. Prolonged psychological tension and stress can show up as neck and head pain.

The symptoms of chronic neck pain vary by type and cause of pain. In acute situations, neck pain can come on very suddenly, such as in the couple of days after a car accident. Neck pain can show up as tightness, stiffness, or more intensely as sharp jabbing pains. Most of the time, this type of chronic pain results in limitations of head and neck movement. Sufferers may be unable to turn their head in full range of motion.

Chronic neck pain can be felt as discomfort in the neck, of course, by may also be accompanied by headaches, nausea, dizziness, and pain in the shoulder, arm, or hands.

Sometimes, muscle imbalances can lead to chronic neck pain.

The best treatment for chronic neck pain involves medical evaluation (especially where there may be a case of disk degeneration or narrowing of the spinal column.) Other treatment options might be improved posture, massage, or pain relief supplements.