Hi Otis, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. First, have you had an x-ray or an MRI of your neck? An MRI is going to be more telling- especially if there is a disc herniation or a disc bulge. I would see a chiropractor- they can do a consultation, examination and refer you for radiographs if necessary. 

I would also recommend using a traction unit, such as the posture pump 1000, and using a contoured neck pillow at night such as Arc4life's cervical linear traction neck pillow. You can go to the Neck Pain Relief Shop and check under the categories for neck traction and neck pillows for more information:

I am sorry, i cannot give you a timeline of when the pain is going to subside. Hope this helps. Visit my blog www.neckpainsupport.com for more detailed information.