Neck pain: relief and a video doctor visit

Any part of the neck can hurt: the muscles, the bones (vertebrae), the joints, the discs or the nerves. The most common cause is a tight or strained muscle, often from everyday things: hours at a computer, looking down at your phone, poor posture, sleeping in an awkward position, or exercising or lifting the wrong way.

It can also come from osteoarthritis of the neck (cervical spondylosis), a herniated disc or, less often, an injury or an infection. Many people call it a stiff neck or a crick in the neck when they wake up unable to turn their head.

Video doctor visits 24/7 — book online and choose your time right away. This is how you see a doctor online with us.

A doctor visit has the same price for every age, with no membership. You pay by card when you request the visit, and you get a full refund if the clinic can’t see you. A doctor’s note is included. We do not bill insurance; the pharmacy and any therapy charge separately. See all prices. The service is run by The Health Initiative, a nonprofit.

Neck pain can feel like this:

• Pain or stiffness in the neck
• Trouble turning or tilting your head
• Pain that goes up into the head or down into the shoulder
• Tight or knotted muscles in the neck and shoulders
• Pain, tingling or numbness running down the arm

MedlinePlus recommends this home care:

• For the first 2 to 3 days: ice on the sore area and less physical activity.
• After that: heat, with a warm shower or a heating pad.
• Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, as the label directs.
• Gentle movement: move your head up and down and side to side slowly, without forcing it.
• At night: use a pillow that supports your neck well.
• Day to day: raise your screen to eye level, do not hold the phone between your shoulder and ear, and take breaks on long drives.

Once the worst pain has eased and you have none of the warning signs on this page, gentle mobility exercises can help keep your neck moving; see mobility vs flexibility.

An X-ray or MRI is rarely needed: scans are only for signs of something more serious, such as an injury, an infection or a pinched nerve. If the doctor thinks you need one, we refer you. If the pain lasts more than a week with home care, or you get numbness or weakness in your arm or hand, see a doctor.

The doctor sees children of all ages by video; patients under 21 need a parent or legal guardian on camera for the whole visit, with ID. For their safety: a child with fever and a stiff neck who cannot bring their chin to their chest needs the emergency room right away. The same applies if the pain started after a fall or a hard blow.

For your safety, call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have any of these signs. See when to go to the ER.

• Fever and headache with a neck so stiff you cannot touch your chin to your chest (it can be meningitis)
• Chest pain, shortness of breath or a cold sweat (possible heart attack)
• Pain after an accident, a fall or a blow to the head or neck
• New weakness or numbness in an arm or a leg