Some type of fall or accident most often causes a neck injury. Call for emergency care if the pain is severe after injury or if there is a lack of movement or feeling. If the neck pain radiates into the arms or legs, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Accidents are major causes of neck injury. 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.