Sudden jerking of the head back and forth causes whiplash injuries. Whiplash is a neck sprain in which the ligaments that connect the spine are stretched or torn. Pain and stiffness may take a few hours or days to develop after an injury. Sometimes the neck area hurts even though there has been no visible injury. Medical care is needed if pain is constant, severe, or occurs with headache, numbness, tingling, or weakness.
Neck pain can also be due to overuse of the muscles or nerves of the neck.
Arthritis can also cause neck pain. Neck pain caused by infection and tumors are rare Disc disease results from narrowing of the space between the bones of the spine. This occurs when the soft cushion, called the disc, degenerates or breaks down and the bony surfaces of the vertebrae rub together. Stiffness and pain occur with movement. A slipped disc results when a disc that is located between the bones of the spine moves and puts pressure on the nerves in that area.