If this support system is affected adversely, then the muscles in the area will tighten, leading to neck pain.

[9] Other common treatments could include medication, body mechanics training, ergonomic reform, and physical therapy.

[11] A 2017 systemic review, however found that paracetamol was not efficacious and that NSAIDs provide a marginal improvement compared to placebo, but not enough to be clinically significant.

The authors of this review cite the side-effect profile of NSAIDs when compared to placebo as another reason that more research and better drugs are needed.

Surgery is usually not indicated for "pinched nerves" or herniated discs unless there is spinal cord compression or pain and disability have been protracted for many months and refractory to conservative treatment such as physical therapy.

[15] Motor control using cranio-cervical flexion exercises has been shown to be effective for non-specific chronic neck pain.

[17] Multiple cervical manipulation sessions may provide better pain relief and functional improvement than certain medications at immediate to long-term follow-up.

[21] There is a lack of high-quality evidence to support the use of mechanical traction, and side effects include headaches, nausea and injury to tissue.

[1][25] For cervicalgia associated with bad posture the treatment is usually corrective in nature (i.e. ensure shoulders are in one line above the hips) and relating to interventions that provide ergonomic improvement.

[27] There is also growing research in how neck pain caused by mobile devices (see iHunch) can be prevented using embedded warning systems.