Dr. Ronald Tolchin, Medical Director of the Baptist Health Center for Spine Care, says neck pain starts in the base of the neck and can go into the shoulders. He explains people usually have neck pain, tightness, soreness of the muscles, and they can also have pain going up to the base of the skull.

He points out neck pain will radiate into the shoulder blade in the back, it can radiate on the side and down the arm. He says most of the nerves from the cervical spine that get pinched go into the hand.