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.

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A doctor visit costs US$79, 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 visit can’t take place. 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.

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