Awakening with pain in the neck is not a great way to start a day. As painful as it may be, it is not that uncommon and a good massage, perhaps with a muscular balm, should take care of it. Other times, despite the pain in the neck, it can be quite serious, not only because of the discomfort they cause, but also because neck pain can be a symptom of a more serious underlying problem, such as meningitis. You should seek medical attention without delay if the neck pain feels like a throbbing pain that starts from the neck and then goes to the shoulders and arms. Neck pain accompanied by a tingling sensation, weakness or numbness in the arms should also be considered serious, as well as a neck so rigid that it can not touch the chest or have swelling around it. Causes of neck pain Less severe neck pain, such as stiff neck, is caused by poor posture or by sleeping on a pillow that does not offer adequate support. Sleeping on your stomach also causes stiff neck. Tender neck muscles,