This Week’s Top Stories from Harvard Health

When a pain in the neck is serious

You probably don't give much thought to your neck, unless something goes wrong and you start to feel neck pain. This underappreciated body part has to be strong enough to support a heavy weight (your head) yet still allow you to tilt, turn, and nod your head easily. Most of the time, neck pain doesn't signal a serious medical problem. But it's worth learning about one of the rare exceptions.

Get your copy of Neck Pain

If your neck aches, it’s no wonder. The structures of your neck must support a heavy weight: your head. The many causes of neck pain are described in this newly updated Special Health Report Neck Pain: A troubleshooting guide to help you relieve your pain. Even without a clearly diagnosed cause, today’s treatments can effectively relieve neck pain, and help you learn how to prevent its return.

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Neck Pain

Featured content:

•	Where bone, muscle, and nerve converge
•	Evaluating neck pain
•	Common causes of neck pain
•	Managing your pain
•	SPECIAL SECTION: Preventing further neck pain
•	... and more!