People that have minor neck pain may be undergoing the earliest symptoms of arthritis. Osteoarthritis can begin to develop in those as young as thirty, and may progress for many years before symptoms appear.

Features of neck pain include:
- You experience pain in the area from the bottom of your head to the top of your shoulders.
- You may feel that your pain spreads to the upper back or arms.
- Pain may become stronger with movement.
- Limited head and neck movement.
- Your neck may be stiff or tender.
- Headaches that may persists for months.

Your neck is made from bones, joints, sinews, ligaments, muscles and nerves. Unfortunately, any of which can hurt.  Besides, neck pain also may come from regions near your neck, like your shoulders, head and jaw. Vise verse, problems in your neck can make other parts of your body hurt, for example, your upper back, shoulders or arms.

If your nerves are involved in your neck pain, you may also feel:
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arm or hand.
- A burning feeling while touching your skin of the arm or hand.
- A shock-like pain that spreads into the arm or hand.
- Weakness or numbness in the leg.
- Loss of the ability to control urination. This occurs especially when there is considerable pressure or injury to the spinal cord.

In case if your neck pain is long-lasting (chronic), it may be hard to cope with daily life. Besides, long-lasting neck pain can result in such side effects as fatigue, anxiety, and depression.

The pain may get worse from time to time. Some people suffer from it so much that they may be kept awake at night.

Sometimes people get neck pain that is caused by something more serious. Remember that you should see your doctor straight away if:
- You lose your weight without obvious reasons.
- You have a high temperature.
- You feel dizzy and have black-outs.
- You have nerve symptoms, like weak and clumsy hands. 
- Your pain gets worse.
- You feel that your neck is stiffer in the morning.