Which of the following are the most common causes of neck pain?

Neck pain or stiffness can occur for several reasons.

Muscle strain and tension

This is typically caused by activities and behaviors such as:

• bad posture
• working at a desk for an extended period without changing positions
• sleeping with your neck in an incorrect position

• jerking your neck while exercising

Injury:

The neck is especially vulnerable to injury in falls, car accidents, and sports, where the muscles and ligaments of the neck are forced to move beyond their normal range.

The spinal cord may be damaged if the neck bones (cervical vertebrae) are fractured. Whiplash is a term used to describe a neck injury caused by a sudden jerking of the head.

The heart attack:

Neck pain is another sign of a heart attack. It is frequently associated with other symptoms of a heart attack, such as shortness of breath.

sweating, nausea, vomiting, pain in the arm or jaw