(HealthDay News) -- There's nothing worse than a pain in the neck, lore has it.

Frequently, neck pain can be managed by taking a pain reliever, performing stretching exercises, and applying hot and cold therapy. But it's still important to know what's behind your neck pain.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists these common triggers:

• Straining your neck muscles.
• Prolonged sitting.
• Having bad posture while engaged in activities such as reading, working or watching TV.
• Straining to view an improperly placed computer monitor.
• Sleeping in an unusual position.
• Injuring the neck muscles during exercise.
• Having health conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, a herniated disk, or, less frequently, meningitis.