What causes neck pain? The neck consists of the cervical spine and spinal cord, nerves, intervertebral discs, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Any of these structures can become irritated or inflamed in response to a variety of mild to serious conditions, such as poor posture, trauma, cervical spondylosis, and arthritis. Common causes of neck pain are overuse, poor posture, and whiplash, which is often incurred in a car accident or other trauma. Neck pain can also be caused by rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia. A problem or injury in another part of the body, such as the chest, shoulders and head, can also radiate to the neck.