Outlook

With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, your overall prognosis for complete recovery from neck strain is excellent. The vast majority of people with neck strain recover completely, rapidly, and without incident, with appropriate management. In the absence of complicating factors such as nerve problems, a previously healthy person may reasonably expect complete recovery within a few days to a few weeks. Neck strain injury is a major source of lost days of work and can occasionally lead to a chronic pain syndrome.