Stiff necks can be a painful and debilitating condition, and there are several synonyms that describe this discomfort. These include neck spasm, neck strain, crick in the neck, muscle tension in the neck, and cervicalgia. Neck spasm refers to the sudden and involuntary contraction of the neck muscles, while neck strain is caused by overuse or an injury to the neck muscles. A crick in the neck is often described as a sharp or dull pain that limits the movement of the neck. Muscle tension in the neck and cervicalgia are both used to describe tightness and pain in the neck region.