Sounds like it's either the muscles of the tendons that run up and down your neck from your shoulder to your head. I just had a deep tissue massage cause mine started out like that then grew to hurt on both side of my spine. From my C6 down by the shoulders up to he C1 by the base of the shill. I was not able to sleep from the knots. Soma, Xanax, codeine, flexeril, celebrex was not able to relieve my pain. The massage therapist was able to move the knots from my neck to my shoulder but half way into my 90 min massage they would not come out. He moved on to the rest of my body I drank lots of water to release the toxins he massage out of my cells. I went home threw up from the pain drank lots more water took a Bayer aspirin and the next morning I woke up pain free.

He moved on to the rest of my body. I had 3 massage so far and I am going back for another. I just weedeated my yard and I left the muscles in my neck tense back up. I've had knots all around my neck from the back to the side and even under my chin.

While it may not be the same muscles a therapeutic, sports, or deep tissue massage may fix your pain.