What is the pain in the back of the neck?

Pain in the back of the neck may be caused by prolonged neck posture, which can be relieved by more activity. It may also be caused by cervical spondylosis or cervical radiculopathy, which causes pain caused by compression of nerve roots. In addition, it may also cause pain in the back of the neck when there is a disorder in the small joints of the neck, synovial compression, or a stiff neck during sleep.