Painful cervical spine?

Ubiquitous: Degenerative neck and back pain is akin to wrinkles in the skin. Age happens, and the alternative (bring aging to a grinding halt with death) is not appealing. Accept some aches and pain, use nsaid's/tylenol to control, salonpas hot patches, strengthen the core, consider mckenzie pt (doc's rx needed). If persistent, further evaluation. Should not be life altering under most circumstances.

Starting point: Please share how it started, exactly where it is, what sets it off, etc.,etc. Is is associated with radiating pain to the upper back, shoulders, arms, hands, or even numbness, tingling, or weakness? Are there problems all the way down the lower extremities, bowel/bladder. How about headaches from the neck? This is just a sampling of what I would ask a patient with neck pain and go from there..