Habits You Didn’t Know Can Damage Your Neck

Whether it’s a sharp twinge after a long day in the office or a dull ache that strikes as soon as you wake up, consider your discomfort a cry for help.Neck pain is common, affecting up to 67 percent of the population at some point, but it’s usually not random, says Jeremy Smith, M.D., an orthopedic spinal surgeon and fellowship director at the Hoag Orthopedic Institute. While an accident or degenerative disease (like arthritis) could be to blame, chances are that one or more of your lifestyle habits have become—quite literally—a pain the neck. Here are 4 of the most common.