There's no way you can continue to play. In the past, this condition was remedied by surgery, but many conservative treatments now exist that can help alleviate it. A good rule to follow with any type of injury is to seek medical help if the initial injury is severe, involves a lot of pain or has persisted for more than a week. Most minor injuries heal in this length of time. If the pain is still present after a month, you're only fooling yourself if you think you're getting better.
Most people continue playing, assume they're healing and ultimately re-injure the area.
When you seek medical care, you should always get an examination from a competent doctor who deals with sports injuries. Healing a stubborn injury always takes time and effort. Be prepared to work on it daily at home, and alter how often you play to provide an adequate rest. It's difficult to prescribe treatment for all neck injuries without a proper exam. However, for most soft-tissue injuries, the following program should be helpful.