Neck pain is so common it is not so much a disease, as a condition of life. Neck pain itself comes from the discs and joints in the neck along with associated muscles.

The causes of chronic neck pain are many though by far the commonest is ‘degenerative disease’, otherwise known as wear and tear or spondylosis.  Spondylosis affects the discs, bones, joints, ligaments and spine and neck pain predominantly arises when inflammation occurs in the worn joints and discs. Another cause of neck pain is whiplash.

Importantly, any pain felt centrally in the back of the neck is due to the discs, bones or joints of the cervical spine.  Some degenerative problems in the neck go on to cause arm pain. Any pain felt in the arm, is most likely due to a compressed nerve root – see brachalgia.