What can I do to manage my neck pain when it strikes?

DEAR DOCTOR K: I'm often bothered by neck pain. What can I do to manage the pain when it strikes?
DEAR READER: Pain in the neck can be more than a pain in the neck. It can make things hard that are necessary or fun. It can interfere with a good night's sleep. Like chronic pain anywhere in the body, neck pain can make a person grumpy, or worse.