Neck Pain

Neck pain is common. Poor posture — whether from leaning over a computer or hunching over a workbench — strains neck muscles. Osteoarthritis also is a common cause of neck pain.

Rarely, neck pain can be a symptom of a more serious problem. Seek medical care for neck pain with numbness or loss of strength in the arms or hands or for pain that shoots into a shoulder or down an arm.

Symptoms include:

• Pain that’s often worsened by holding the head in one place for long periods, such as when driving or working at a computer
• Muscle tightness and spasms
• Decreased ability to move the head
• Headache